Peacock Gudgeon (Tateurndina ocellicauda) Care Guide

A gorgeous small goby with vivid red, blue, and yellow markings and a distinctive eyespot on the tail base. Males develop a prominent nuchal hump. Peaceful and well-suited for nano planted tanks.

Overview

Tateurndina ocellicauda is a species in the family Eleotridae. A gorgeous small goby with vivid red, blue, and yellow markings and a distinctive eyespot on the tail base. Males develop a prominent nuchal hump. Peaceful and well-suited for nano planted tanks. Cave-spawns in narrow tubes or crevices.

Taxonomy

Family: Eleotridae
Genus: Tateurndina
Scientific name: Tateurndina ocellicauda
Other names: Peacock Goby
Origin: Oceania, Papua New Guinea

Habitat

Tateurndina ocellicauda is a small, colourful gudgeon endemic to slow forest streams and ponds of eastern Papua New Guinea. It lives in soft, slightly acidic water with vegetation, feeds on small invertebrates and spawns in caves with male brood care.

Tank requirements

Minimum tank volume: 40 L
Temperature: 22-26 °C
pH: 6.5-7.5
GH: 5-15 °dGH
Water flow: low
Adult size: 5-7 cm
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Difficulty: intermediate

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
Position in tank: bottom
Compatible tank mates: Ember Tetra, Cherry Shrimp, Corydoras, Neon Tetra
Avoid with: Large Fish, Aggressive Fish, Betta

Breeding

Breeding strategy: cave-spawner
Breeding difficulty: intermediate