All fish / Gobiidae

Greenband Goby

Elacatinus multifasciatus

Also known as green banded goby, greenbanded goby, green band goby, multibanded goby, yes, グリーンバンデッドゴビー, 绿带霓虹虾虎

A tiny Caribbean goby with dark bands on a pale green body. It perches among rocks and long-spined urchins, and its small size and calm nature make it a good choice for nano reef tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, enriched brine shrimp, copepods and small frozen or pellet foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Central Atlantic and Caribbean: Bahamas, Cuba, Puerto Rico to Panama and Venezuela

Breeding

Pairs lay eggs in caves or crevices and the male guards them until they hatch. Captive-bred fish are sometimes available, but raising the larvae needs rotifers and copepods and takes some skill.

Good to know

It is small enough to be eaten by larger predators, so only house it with peaceful tankmates. In the wild it often lives among Diadema urchins, but it does not need one in an aquarium.