Orange-spotted Sleeper Goby

The orange-spotted sleeper goby is distinguished from its golden-headed relative by the orange spots and short lines covering its pearly white body. It takes sand into its mouth, sifts it through its gills and eats the small organisms in it, constantly stirring the sand bed as it does so. In a small or newly set-up aquarium it quickly exhausts the organisms in the sand, and if it is not fed enough it wastes away and dies; for this reason it is suitable only for mature, large aquariums.

• At least 200 liters; a wide sand surface is essential.
• Salinity specific gravity 1.023–1.026, pH 8.1–8.4, temperature 24–27°C.
• Reef-safe; it leaves corals and invertebrates alone, but it may toss the sand it sifts onto corals on the bottom.
• 5–8 cm of sand; set the rocks directly on the glass.
• A tight-fitting lid is essential.

Carnivorous. In addition to the organisms in the sand, offer sinking foods 2–3 times a day: frozen mysis, brine shrimp, copepods and small granules. A sunken belly is a sign of hunger.

Peaceful towards other fish; it is territorial towards its own kind and other sand-sifting gobies. In the wild it lives in monogamous pairs; buying a mated pair is best.

Good companions: Clownfish, cardinalfish, chromis, tangs, blennies, cleaner shrimp.

Avoid: Other Valenciennea species and sand-sifting gobies, aggressive damselfish, large predators.