Starry Goby

Asterropteryx semipunctata

Also known as Halfspotted Goby, Star-Finned Goby

SaltwaterFish

Starry Goby (Asterropteryx semipunctata) — Elisabeth Morcel · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 2.8 in (7 cm)
Minimum tank: 13 gal (50 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Indo-Pacific, Red Sea to Hawaii
Family: Gobiidae

Overview

Starry gobies are peaceful, a little shy at first, and completely reef safe. They want rock to hide in plus either a mature tank with good pod life or several small feedings a day, and unlike many nano gobies they become more outgoing in a small group.

In the wild

One of the widest ranging gobies in the sea, found from the Red Sea across the Indo-Pacific all the way to Hawaii, on reef flats, in lagoons, and over quiet silty shallows. It keeps a burrow or a hole in the rubble and rarely strays far from it.

Good to know

The genus name Asterropteryx means star fin, and the species name semipunctata means half spotted, since the pale blue speckling is densest on the front half of the body. It reaches about 7 cm and handles a wider range of conditions than most reef gobies.

Did you know

In the wild it settles happily on silty lagoon flats and other quiet spots that most reef fish avoid. That flexibility says a lot about how forgiving this little goby is in an aquarium.