Tiger Goby

Tigrigobius macrodon

Also known as Elacatinus macrodon

SaltwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 2 in (5 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Western Atlantic, southern Florida to northern South America
Family: Gobiidae

Overview

Tiger gobies are peaceful, reef safe, and content in a nano tank, where each fish adopts a favorite crevice and darts out for food. They tolerate their own kind better than most small gobies, so singles, pairs, and small groups all work.

In the wild

A shallow water goby of the subtropical western Atlantic, from southern Florida to northern South America, recorded from tide pools down to about 7 m. It holds close to rock faces, pilings, and the surfaces of large sponges, often tucked under mats of red algae.

Good to know

It is currently placed in Tigrigobius, a genus name that literally means tiger goby, though the trade still lists it under its older name Elacatinus macrodon. The body is translucent with a greenish cast and ringed from snout to tail with thin brown bars, topping out near 5 cm.

Did you know

Few reef fish are as much at home in a tide pool as the tiger goby. In the wild it is often found in water shallow enough to wade in, hiding under red algae between tides.