TankBud

Shelldwelling clown goby

Mugilogobius adeia

Also known as Matano shell goby

FreshwaterFish

Shelldwelling clown goby (Mugilogobius adeia)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
7.5–8.5
Adult size
1.8 in
4.5 cm
Minimum tank
14 gal
54 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Cave spawner
Rarity
Rare
Family
Oxudercidae
Origin
Lake Matano, Sulawesi

Overview

The shelldwelling clown goby is a tiny bottom-dwelling goby for a hard, alkaline tank built around empty snail shells. It is a tricky fish, best with experienced keepers.

Did you know

The shelldwelling clown goby is Sulawesi's own answer to the cichlids of Lake Tanganyika that breed inside snail shells. It arrived at the same idea independently, moving into Tylomelania shells on the far side of the world.

Caring for the shelldwelling clown goby

Keep a small group of shelldwelling clown gobies in at least 14 gal (54 L). Lay a sand floor with scattered rock and clusters of snail or escargot shells. The shells give each fish a tight cave to occupy and claim as a home base.

Keep the water warm, stable and hard, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) with a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Feed small meaty foods such as frozen bloodworm, baby brine shrimp and fine sinking items.

The shelldwelling clown goby is social, appreciates its own kind and is mostly peaceful. Choose calm tank mates that share its warm, hard water needs and will not outcompete it at the floor. It may eat very small shrimp or fry, so pick shrimp with care.

It spawns in the empty shells, though it is not an obligate cave spawner and will also lay eggs on open surfaces. There is no record of the species being raised to maturity in captivity, since the larvae are very small and hard to feed.

Good to know

Mugilogobius adeia is a member of Oxudercidae, the goby family. It is a shell specialist. Rather than digging, it uses the empty gastropod shells that litter parts of the lake bed as shelter. It is also known as the Matano shell goby.

In the wild

The shelldwelling clown goby is found only in Lake Matano, an ancient, exceptionally clear lake on Sulawesi. The lake water is warm and alkaline.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The shelldwelling clown goby is a mostly 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 shelldwelling clown goby need?

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

What temperature and pH does a shelldwelling clown goby need?

A shelldwelling clown goby is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.

What does a shelldwelling clown goby eat?

A shelldwelling clown goby eats small meaty foods such as frozen bloodworm, baby brine shrimp and fine sinking items. It may also eat very small shrimp or fry.

How big does a shelldwelling clown goby get?

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

How does a shelldwelling clown goby breed?

Shelldwelling clown gobies spawn in empty shells, and they will also lay eggs on open surfaces. The larvae are very small and hard to feed, so there is no record of raising them to maturity in captivity.

Related species