Yellowline sponge goby
Elacatinus horsti
Also known as Yellowline Goby
SaltwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F
- 22–26°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
- Family
- Gobiidae
- Origin
- Western Atlantic, Florida and the Bahamas to Curacao
Overview
The yellowline sponge goby is a small, peaceful goby for the rockwork of a reef tank. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
The yellowline sponge goby pays its rent. It feeds heavily on the parasitic worms inside its host sponge, which helps keep the sponge's pumping channels clear, so both animals come out ahead.
Caring for the yellowline sponge goby
A yellowline sponge goby needs a tank of at least 11 gal (40 L). Captive-bred fish give up the sponge habit without complaint and perch in the open on rockwork instead.
Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Feed small pellets and frozen foods.
The yellowline sponge goby is peaceful and reef safe, and it interacts readily with tank mates. It does fine alone or in a group and is safe in a community tank. Breeding it is moderately difficult.
Good to know
Elacatinus horsti is a goby of the family Gobiidae, described in 1922. It has a narrow yellow line running from the eye to the tail base over a dark body. In parts of its range the line is white instead of yellow.
In the wild
The yellowline sponge goby ranges from Florida and the Bahamas south to Curacao. It always lives in association with tube sponges and other large sponges, at about 7 to 27 m. Rather than running a cleaning station, it spends its day perched in and on its host sponge.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The yellowline sponge goby 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.
Purple firefish
Nemateleotris decora
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Pederson's cleaner shrimp
Ancylomenes pedersoni
Saltwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Stomatella snail
Stomatella varia
Saltwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Citron clown goby
Gobiodon citrinus
Saltwater2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Firefish
Nemateleotris magnifica
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Fire shrimp
Lysmata debelius
Saltwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a yellowline sponge goby need?
A yellowline sponge goby needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a yellowline sponge goby need?
A yellowline sponge goby is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a yellowline sponge goby eat?
A yellowline sponge goby eats small pellets and frozen foods.
How big does a yellowline sponge goby get?
An adult yellowline sponge goby reaches about 2 in (5 cm).
Related species
2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Neon goby
Elacatinus oceanops
2 in (5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Red head goby
Elacatinus puncticulatus
2 in (5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Barber goby
Elacatinus figaro
1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Barsnout cleaner goby
Elacatinus illecebrosus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Broadstripe cleaner goby
Elacatinus prochilos
1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)13 gal (50 L)75–79°F (24–26°C)Sharknose goby
Elacatinus evelynae
1.6 in (4 cm) · 13 gal (50 L)