TankBud

Yellow fin rhinogobius

Rhinogobius leavelli

Also known as Leavelli goby

FreshwaterFish

Yellow fin rhinogobius (Rhinogobius leavelli)

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–77°F
18–25°C
pH
7.0–8.0
Adult size
3.1 in
8 cm
Minimum tank
14 gal
54 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Substrate spawner
Rarity
Rare
Family
Oxudercidae
Origin
Southern China and Vietnam streams

Overview

The yellow fin rhinogobius is a hardy, subtropical stream goby for the bottom of a cool, flowing tank. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.

Did you know

The yellow fin rhinogobius differs from most of its goby relatives, which send their newly hatched young down to the sea and back upriver. In the aquarium its young skip that ocean trip entirely. They hatch as tiny but fully formed fish that never leave fresh water.

Caring for the yellow fin rhinogobius

Keep the yellow fin rhinogobius in a small group with more females than males. A tank of 14 gal (54 L) or more suits a group. Give each male enough rock cover to hold a small territory without real fighting. Furnish the floor with smooth river stones, gravel and roots that form caves and shaded stations.

This cool-water goby needs no heating in most homes. Keep it at 64 to 77°F (18 to 25°C) with a pH of 7.0 to 8.0. It wants a brisk current and plenty of dissolved oxygen. Change the water often to keep it clean.

Feed small live and frozen foods, such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp. It is peaceful toward other fish but will hunt small shrimp, so treat dwarf shrimp as food rather than tank mates. Good companions are other cool, current-loving fish that stay up in the water column, such as danios and white cloud minnows.

It spawns in the usual Rhinogobius pattern. A male cleans the underside of a flat stone, and a female attaches her eggs there. He then guards and fans the clutch until it hatches.

Good to know

The yellow fin rhinogobius is a goby in the family Oxudercidae, and it grows large for the genus Rhinogobius. Its common name points to the fins, which are hemmed in yellow. They flush brightest when a male is displaying or defending a site.

In the wild

The yellow fin rhinogobius comes from clear, flowing streams in southern China and northern Vietnam. Its home water is cool and subtropical.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The yellow fin rhinogobius 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a yellow fin rhinogobius need?

A yellow fin rhinogobius needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a yellow fin rhinogobius need?

A yellow fin rhinogobius is comfortable at 64–77°F (18–25°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.0.

What does a yellow fin rhinogobius eat?

A yellow fin rhinogobius eats small live and frozen foods, such as bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp. It will also hunt dwarf shrimp and other small shrimp.

How big does a yellow fin rhinogobius get?

An adult yellow fin rhinogobius reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

How does a yellow fin rhinogobius breed?

Males clean the underside of a flat stone, where a female attaches her eggs. The male then guards and fans the clutch until the eggs hatch.

Related species