Marble Goby

The marble goby is one of the largest members of the "sleeper" group; in the wild it can exceed 60 cm. Its marbled pattern of brown, black and cream blotches makes it almost invisible on the bottom. It waits without moving all day and swallows any fish passing nearby in a single gulp with its huge mouth. It is a valuable food fish in Southeast Asia. It is sold small in stores but grows quickly.

• At least 600 liters for an adult; a large footprint.
• Sand substrate, large pipes, caves and roots.
• A powerful filter and 30% water changes every week.
• Dim light; without hiding places it becomes stressed.

Carnivorous. Fish fillet, shrimp, mussels and worms. Wild-caught individuals may at first want live food; wean them gradually onto frozen foods.

A motionless ambush predator; it eats every fish and shrimp that fits in its mouth. It is territorial toward its own kind.

Good companions: large, calm species too big to fit in its mouth: large plecos, large catfish, arowanas, tigerfish.

Avoid: small and medium-sized fish, shrimp, other bottom-dwelling predators.