Sharknose Goby

Elacatinus evelynae

Also known as Caribbean Cleaner Goby, Cleaner Goby

SaltwaterFish

Sharknose Goby (Elacatinus evelynae) — LASZLO ILYES (laszlo-photo) from Cleveland, Ohio, USA · CC BY 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–79°F (24–26°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 13 gal (50 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Common
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Western Atlantic and Caribbean, from the Bahamas and Lesser Antilles south to the northern coast of South America
Family: Gobiidae

Overview

Sharknose gobies are peaceful, shy, and reef safe, posing no threat to corals or invertebrates and rarely bothering other fish. They are territorial toward their own kind unless bonded as a proven pair, so add a single fish or a mated pair rather than unrelated individuals. In the tank they will often set up a cleaning station and service willing tankmates for bits of parasite and dead skin, though they should still be target fed small meaty foods like mysis, brine shrimp, and chopped seafood several times a day since they cannot live on cleaning alone. They are sensitive during shipping and acclimation, so a slow drip acclimation and a calm, established tank help them settle in.

In the wild

Found on Caribbean and western Atlantic reefs from the Bahamas and Lesser Antilles south to northern South America, where it sets up cleaning stations on coral heads and prominent rocks. In the aquarium it wants live rock offering open perches and small crevices, since it spends most of its time stationed in the open waiting for clients rather than swimming through the water column.

Good to know

A tiny goby in the family Gobiidae, maxing out around 4 cm, with a bright yellow stripe running from the snout down the back that fades into an electric blue line along the body. It is a facultative cleaner fish, meaning it removes parasites and dead tissue from larger fish at a fixed station but does not depend on that behavior to survive, unlike obligate cleaners such as the bluestreak cleaner wrasse. That makes it far easier to keep well fed in an aquarium than true obligate cleaners.

Did you know

A sharknose goby's cleaning station works like a tiny car wash for reef fish. Regular clients learn the spot and hover in place with fins spread and gills flared to signal they are ready, letting the goby pick over their body, gills, and even inside their mouth without being eaten.