TankBud

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
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Family
Oxudercidae
Origin
Palau and western Pacific islands

Overview

The riffle goby is an island stream goby, kept the same way as other Stiphodon in a mature river tank. It is a hard fish, best kept by experienced hands.

Did you know

The riffle goby's species crossed oceans as plankton, so island-hopping is written into its life cycle.

Caring for the riffle goby

Keep riffle gobies as a small group in a mature river tank of at least 14 gal (54 L). Give them cobble, hard flow, high oxygen and bright light to grow the biofilm they eat. The tank needs algae growth before they arrive, which usually means running it for a couple of months first.

Hold the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C), with a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Supplement the biofilm with algae wafers and frozen cyclops.

Riffle gobies are peaceful. Males show blue-green over a dark body, and they hold grazing patches and display without fighting. Their life cycle is amphidromous, with larvae swept out to sea and juveniles climbing back into the streams months later. That means they cannot be bred in captivity.

Good to know

Stiphodon pelewensis is a goby in the family Oxudercidae, also known as the Palau stream goby or Palauan riffle dwarf goby. Every riffle goby in the trade is wild caught.

In the wild

Stiphodon pelewensis comes from streams on Palau and other western Pacific islands. It lives in clear, fast water over stone, in strong sunlight.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The riffle goby is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a riffle goby need?

A riffle goby needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a riffle goby need?

A riffle goby is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does a riffle goby eat?

A riffle goby eats the biofilm that grows in a mature tank. Supplement it with algae wafers and frozen cyclops.

How big does a riffle goby get?

An adult riffle goby reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).

How can you tell a male riffle goby from a female?

Males show blue-green over a dark body.

How does a riffle goby breed?

Riffle gobies are amphidromous, so their larvae are swept out to sea and the juveniles climb back into the streams months later. That cycle means they cannot be bred in captivity.

Related species