All fish / Microdesmidae

Scissortail Dartfish

Ptereleotris evides

Also known as scissortail goby, blackfin dartfish, arrow goby, blackfin dart goby, scissor tail dartfish, scissortail dart goby, blackfin goby, クロユリハゼ, 剪尾鳍塘鳢, 黑尾鳍塘鳢

A slender dartfish with a pale bluish-grey front half that darkens towards the rear, plus black-edged dorsal, anal and deeply forked tail fins. It hovers in open water picking at plankton and suits peaceful reef tanks, where it adds steady midwater movement without bothering corals or invertebrates.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

11 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly, as a pair or in a small group in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: zooplankton, mysis, brine shrimp, copepods and fine frozen or pellet foods fed several times a day

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Line, Marquesas and Society Islands

Breeding

Pairs live in burrows in the sand and lay demersal eggs that the male guards, after which the larvae drift in the plankton. It is seldom bred in home aquariums and almost all stock is wild caught.

Good to know

Very prone to jumping when startled, so a tight-fitting lid or mesh cover is essential. Bullying tankmates make it hide and stop eating, and adults may squabble with each other in small tanks.