Tiger schismatogobius
Schismatogobius ampluvinculus
Also known as Tiger scaleless goby, Taiwanese dragon micro goby, Tiger goby
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 6.5–7.8
- Adult size
- 1.2 in
- 3 cm
- Minimum tank
- 11 gal
- 40 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Oxudercidae
- Origin
- Taiwan and Philippine streams
Overview
The tiger schismatogobius is a tiny, gravel-dwelling goby for a nano stream tank. It is a challenging fish for experienced keepers.
Did you know
The tiger schismatogobius comes from a genus that went scaleless to slide between gravel grains, trading armor for disappearance.
Caring for the tiger schismatogobius
Keep the tiger schismatogobius as a group in at least 11 gal (40 L), over mixed sand and fine gravel with moderate flow. It spends most of its time motionless and half-buried, so the right substrate is what makes it visible at all.
Hold the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C), with a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Keep it clean and well oxygenated. It is a hunter, not a grazer, so feed frozen and live micro foods.
It is peaceful and social, but do not expect it to compete with faster fish. It does best in a dedicated nano or with other stream species.
Good to know
Schismatogobius ampluvinculus is a goby in the family Oxudercidae. Its genus is cryptically banded, and these fish match their gravel so closely that a tank can look empty until food goes in. Males darken and show bold barring when displaying, which is where the tiger name comes from. It is also known as the tiger scaleless goby or Taiwanese dragon micro goby.
In the wild
In the wild, the tiger schismatogobius lives in streams in Taiwan and the Philippines, on gravel beds in moderate current.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The tiger schismatogobius 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.
Chili rasbora
Boraras brigittae
Freshwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Green panchax
Aplocheilus blockii
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Chopstick snail
Stenomelania torulosa
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Cheetah moth catfish
Pseudolaguvia shawi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Crystal tetra
Protocheirodon pi
Freshwater1.2 in (3.1 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Red neon blue-eye
Pseudomugil luminatus
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a tiger schismatogobius need?
A tiger schismatogobius needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a tiger schismatogobius need?
A tiger schismatogobius is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.
What does a tiger schismatogobius eat?
A tiger schismatogobius is a hunter, not a grazer. Feed it frozen and live micro foods.
How big does a tiger schismatogobius get?
An adult tiger schismatogobius reaches about 1.2 in (3 cm).
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