All fish / Gobiidae

Catalina Goby

Lythrypnus dalli

Also known as bluebanded goby, blue-banded goby, catalina goby, blue banded goby, dall's goby, キャタリナゴビー, 蓝带虾虎

A tiny, vivid red-orange goby with bright electric blue vertical bands on the front of the body and a tall first dorsal fin. It is kept for its striking colours and busy, perching behaviour in small coldwater reef or species tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

4 cm

Temperature

14 to 21 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

Singly, or several in a larger tank with plenty of caves

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, brine shrimp, copepods and finely chopped meaty frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

1 to 2 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Eastern Pacific: California to Baja California and Gulf of California

Breeding

Males guard eggs laid inside small caves or shells, and the species can change sex from female to male. Spawning happens fairly readily in captivity, but rearing the tiny planktonic larvae is difficult.

Good to know

This is a subtropical to temperate fish that does poorly in warm tropical reef tanks, which shortens its already brief life. Males fight in cramped spaces, so provide many hiding places.