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Sharknose Goby
Goby

Sharknose Goby

Elacatinus evelynae

The Caribbean's tireless little cleaner: a slim black body split by an electric neon-yellow-to-blue stripe running snout to tail. In the wild it sets up cleaning stations and picks parasites and dead skin from far larger fish, and it will happily perform this service in the aquarium — genuinely useful for parasite control. Hardy, peaceful, and completely reef- and invert-safe thanks to its tiny mouth. Nearly all trade specimens are captive-bred (ORA and others), so it ships and settles beautifully; just expect a naturally short lifespan of only a couple of years.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
1.6"
Min tank
10 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Carnivore
Zone
Rockwork, Mid-water
Keep one or a bonded pair.
Symbiosis · Cleans other fish.
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Tankmates

How Sharknose Goby gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Maroon ClownfishMaroon Clownfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Blue DamselBlue Damsel (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Purple TangPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Coral HawkfishCoral Hawkfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Purple DottybackPurple Dottyback (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Antennata LionfishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sharknose Goby.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Royal DottybackRoyal Dottyback (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Fiji Blue Devil DamselFiji Blue Devil Damsel (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Domino DamselDomino Damsel (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Marine BettaMarine Betta has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sharknose Goby.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sharknose Goby.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sharknose Goby.Zebra Dwarf LionfishZebra Dwarf Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sharknose Goby.Fuzzy Dwarf LionfishFuzzy Dwarf Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sharknose Goby.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sharknose Goby.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sharknose Goby.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sharknose Goby.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sharknose Goby.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Lemonpeel AngelfishLemonpeel Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Bicolor AngelfishBicolor Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Red Saddleback ClownfishRed Saddleback Clownfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Yellow TangYellow Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Red Sea ClownfishRed Sea Clownfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Kole TangKole Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Sailfin TangSailfin Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Powder Blue TangPowder Blue Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Melanurus WrasseMelanurus Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Midas BlennyMidas Blenny (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Longnose HawkfishLongnose Hawkfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Red Coris WrasseRed Coris Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Convict TangConvict Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Clark's ClownfishClark's Clownfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Tomato ClownfishTomato Clownfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Saddleback ClownfishSaddleback Clownfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Starry BlennyStarry Blenny (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Emperor AngelfishEmperor Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Regal AngelfishRegal Angelfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.Achilles TangAchilles Tang (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Sharknose Goby and may harass it.