Riffle goby

Stiphodon pelewensis

Also known as Palau stream goby, Palauan riffle dwarf goby

FreshwaterFish

Riffle goby (Stiphodon pelewensis) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 6.5–7.8
Adult size: 1.8 in (4.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Common
Origin: Palau and western Pacific islands
Family: Oxudercidae

Overview

An island riffle goby kept the same way as other Stiphodon: a small group in a mature 54 liter river tank with cobble, hard flow and bright light to grow the biofilm it eats. Males hold grazing patches and display without fighting. Supplement with algae wafers and frozen cyclops. The tank needs algae growth before they arrive, which usually means running it for a couple of months first.

In the wild

Stiphodon pelewensis comes from streams on Palau and other western Pacific islands, in clear fast water over stone in strong sunlight. Keep it at 23 to 27 degrees Celsius and pH 6.5 to 7.8, with high flow and high oxygen.

Good to know

Stiphodon pelewensis reaches about 4.5 centimeters, males showing blue-green over a dark body. Its life cycle is amphidromous, with larvae swept out to sea and juveniles climbing back into the streams months later, so it cannot be bred in captivity and every fish traded is wild caught.