All fish / Gobiidae

Hector's goby

Koumansetta hectori

Also known as hector's goby, hectors goby, hector goby, golden-striped goby, gold-striped goby, hector's sand goby, amblygobius hectori, ヘクターハゼ, 赫氏钝塘鳢, 黑金线虾虎

A small, slim goby with a dark body marked by thin golden to yellow lengthwise stripes and an eyespot at the rear of the dorsal fin. It is kept in reef tanks because it is peaceful, safe with corals and invertebrates, and spends its day picking at rock surfaces, helping keep nuisance film algae and tiny pests in check.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

75 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Omnivore: grazes film algae and microfauna from rock; offer live rock, small frozen mysis and brine shrimp, and fine pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Micronesia and southern Japan

Breeding

Pairs lay demersal eggs in a sheltered cave or crevice and the male guards them until they hatch. The larvae are tiny and planktonic, so captive rearing is rare and difficult.

Good to know

Needs a mature tank with plenty of live rock for grazing, as newly added fish can starve if they do not take prepared foods. Keep a tight lid because gobies may jump, and avoid housing with large or aggressive fish; now usually placed in the genus Koumansetta.