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Gobies, Dartfish, and Jawfish: Gobies belong to the Gobiidae family,
and make up the largest family of marine fish. The families Microdesmidae (Firefish), Callionymidae (Mandarins),
Opistognathidae (Jawfish), and Malacanthidae (Tilefish) are often included in the group of fish called gobies. The genera of
Gobies are extensive, consisting of over 200, far too many to list. Gobies are relatively small fish, usually reaching
a size of only three inches in an aquarium. The largest member of the Goby family can reach a length of over 20 inches
in the wild. Gobies can be recognized by their long, tubular shape. Most members of this group have two dorsal (top)
fins.
Gobies are found throughout the world in tropical and temperate waters. They mostly are found in pairs or small groups, and are often associated with crustaceas or sessile invertebrates. Some Gobies spend their lives with pistol shrimp, sharing a burrow; other species of gobies live on the branches of sea fans, sponges, or live corals. A small number of Gobies also act as cleaners, picking parasites and dead skin from larger fish. The diet should consist of a variety of small pieces of fish and plant material. In the aquarium, it will consume almost any prepared foods for carnivores, mysid shrimp, table shrimp, and vitamin-enriched brine shrimp. If housed in a reef tank, it needs to be fed once a day. Click on thumbnails for more information.
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