Care Level: Easy

Temperament: Peaceful

Reef Compatible: Yes

General Description: The Scissortail Goby, also referred to as a Dartfish, have a wide distribution across the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea. A brilliant fish with unparalleled personality to match, the Scissortail goby has an elongated body shape that is gray-white anteriorly and dusky gray-black ventrally, including the dorsal and anal fins. The dorsal and anal fins are also very large, giving the Scissortail goby its unique shape. Ptereleotris gobies may be some of the most sweetly-tempered fish in the marine hobby, making them great candidates for medium-sized aquariums and community reef tanks to fill the top and middle sections of the water column. Best kept in small groups (4+ individuals), an adult Scissortail goby can reach a size of approximately 4-1/2″. Note: All of our Scissortail gobies are sourced from more sustainable locations, which translates into a slightly higher price tag.

Diet Requirements: In the wild Scissortail gobies are primarily carnivorous, feeding on small organisms suspended in the water column. A diet largely consisting of high quality, vitamin enriched frozen preparations is absolutely necessary to maintain optimal health, coloration, and immune function. Such foods can include, but are not limited to, brine shrimp, calanus, cyclopeeze and rotifers. We highly encourage soaking frozen foods in vitamin and fatty acid supplements. Multiple, small feedings per day rather than one large feeding will also create more of a natural environment for the Scissortail goby as it would feed in the wild. Scissortail gobies may accept high quality flake and micro-pellet foods.

Care Requirements: A minimum 30 to 55 gallon aquarium is ideal to house a small group of Scissortail gobies. A tight fitting lid is recommended because Ptereleotris gobies are known to be spooked easily until they settle in, and this prevents them from jumping out of the aquarium by accident. Scissortail gobies enjoy a variety of rock work and crevices to take refuge in order to feel secure. They often have a designated “hole” in which they quickly duct to when felt threatened. Do not house Scissortail gobies with overly aggressive and pugnacious tank-mates. Scissortail gobies feel most at home in reef aquariums and they will not harm any invertebrate or coral. Recommended water conditions, 72-78° F, KH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 1.020-1.025.

Purchase Size: Small: 1″ to 2″; Medium: 2″ to 3″; Large: 3″ to 4″

Note: Your item may not look identical to the image provided due to variation within species. Purchase sizes are approximate.