All fish / Gobiidae

Ward's Sleeper Goby

Valenciennea wardii

Also known as ward's goby, ward's sleeper goby, banded sleeper goby, wards goby, sand sifting goby, sleeper goby, ハチマキハゼ, 沃氏范氏塘鳢, 沃德氏鰕虎

A pale, slender sleeper goby crossed by broad orange-brown bars edged in darker tones, often with a dark spot on the dorsal fin. Keepers like it because it sifts sand constantly, keeping the substrate turned over, and pairs dig burrows under rockwork.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

11 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Carnivore: sifts sand for small invertebrates; offer frozen mysis, brine shrimp, chopped seafood and sinking pellets several times a day

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: East Africa and Red Sea to Indonesia, the Philippines and northern Australia

Breeding

Pairs form strong bonds and lay eggs inside a burrow, which the male guards. Spawning happens occasionally in home aquariums, but raising the tiny pelagic larvae is very difficult.

Good to know

Needs a deep, fine sand bed and a mature tank with plenty of live food in the substrate, or it may starve; it can disturb corals by piling sand on them. Keep a tight lid as sleeper gobies often jump, and avoid keeping two males together.