Diamond Goby (Valenciennea puellaris) Care Guide

A sand-sifting goby with a white body covered in orange diamond-shaped spots. Constantly scoops mouthfuls of sand, filtering out food and keeping the sand bed stirred and clean.

Overview

Valenciennea puellaris is a species in the family Gobiidae. A sand-sifting goby with a white body covered in orange diamond-shaped spots. Constantly scoops mouthfuls of sand, filtering out food and keeping the sand bed stirred and clean. An excellent utility fish for reef tanks with deep sand beds. May create sand piles on corals.

Taxonomy

Family: Gobiidae
Genus: Valenciennea
Scientific name: Valenciennea puellaris
Other names: Orange-spotted Sleeper Goby, Pretty Prawn Goby
Origin: Indo-Pacific

Habitat

Native to the Indo-West Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa and from southern Japan to the Great Barrier Reef. Inhabits sandy bottoms of lagoons and outer reef flats at depths of 1-30 m, where it sifts mouthfuls of sand through its gills to extract small invertebrates.

Tank requirements

Minimum tank volume: 150 L
Temperature: 24-27 °C
pH: 8.1-8.4
GH: 8-12 °dGH
Water flow: moderate
Adult size: 12-15 cm
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Difficulty: beginner

Diet

Classified as omnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 2x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.

Compatibility

Temperament: peaceful
Swimming level: bottom
Compatible tank mates: Clownfish, Tangs, Wrasses, Blennies
Avoid with: Other Sand-Sifting Gobies, Aggressive Fish

Reef compatibility

Generally classified as reef-safe: does not feed on stony or soft corals, tridacnid clams or ornamental shrimps under normal conditions.

Breeding

Breeding difficulty: advanced