Yellowlined Coral Goby Care Guide
Gobiodon axillaris is a tiny Indo-West Pacific coral goby that perches among Acropora corals; the IUCN lists it as Vulnerable.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Gobiodon axillaris, the Yellowlined Coral Goby, is a very small marine coral goby of the Indo-West Pacific. FishBase classifies it as a coral-commensal species and, like other members of the genus, it is capable of facultative air-breathing.
Taxonomy
- Family: Gobiidae
- Genus: Gobiodon
- Scientific name: Gobiodon axillaris
Habitat
FishBase records the species across the Indo-West Pacific in tropical reef-associated waters, where it lives among branching corals at depths down to about 20 m.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 50 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Specific gravity: 1.024-1.026
- Carbonate hardness: 8-12 dKH
- Maximum size: about 3.1 cm
- Lifespan: 3-6 years
Diet
A carnivore. In the aquarium it accepts small meaty foods such as cyclops, enriched brine shrimp and finely chopped mysis, fed twice daily.
Compatibility
A peaceful coral-dwelling goby. It suits calm companions such as clownfish, cardinalfish and wrasses; lionfish and other predators should be avoided.
Reef compatibility
Reef-safe with the caveat that it perches on branching Acropora and may occasionally nip at small-polyp stony coral polyps. It is otherwise harmless to the reef and depends on branching corals for shelter.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Vulnerable (assessed 26 June 2018), under criterion A4c, reflecting projected loss of its coral habitat.
Breeding Gobiodon axillaris (Yellowlined Coral Goby)
Overview
Gobiodon axillaris De Vis, 1884, the red-striped coralgoby, is a Gobiidae species distributed across the Indo-West Pacific. FishBase gives a maximum size of 3.1 cm SL and describes it as a coral-commensal species recorded to about 20 m depth. As with most coral gobies, its captive reproduction is understood mainly through genus-wide observations of Gobiodon rather than dedicated species studies.
Sexing
External sexing is unreliable in this small goby, and the genus is known for bidirectional sex change. Studies of Gobiodon show individuals can switch sex in either direction to complete a breeding pair after the loss of a partner, so two compatible fish introduced together commonly sort themselves into a functional male and female.
Conditioning
A pair is conditioned on a stable reef system with a branching coral host and frequent small carnivore feeds. The species sits at an estimated trophic level of about 3.3, consistent with a diet of small reef invertebrates, and a secure host colony underpins the pair bond that precedes spawning.
Breeding Setup
House a single pair on its own branching Acropora-type colony in a nano or small reef. The knowledge-base parameters for the species are temperature 24-26 degrees C, pH 8.1-8.4 and moderate water flow. One pair per colony prevents the aggression that arises when extra conspecifics share a host.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Gobiodon pairs lay demersal eggs attached to the coral branch and the male takes responsibility for the clutch. No specific environmental trigger is documented for Gobiodon axillaris; spawning follows from a stable, bonded pair occupying a healthy host coral.
Egg & Fry Care
The male guards the eggs on the coral until they hatch, after which the larvae enter a planktonic phase without parental care. A reliable larval-rearing method for this species has not been published, so producing settled juveniles in the aquarium is not yet a routine outcome.
Common Challenges
- Establishing a bonded pair without aggression between unmatched individuals.
- Keeping a living branching coral host healthy enough to serve as a spawning surface.
- Rearing pelagic larvae through settlement, for which no validated protocol exists.