Mural Sleeper Goby

The Mural Sleeper Goby (Valenciennea muralis) is a pale sand-sifting goby with subdued horizontal markings. It takes mouthfuls of substrate while searching for food, so its behaviour is closely tied to the aquarium bottom.

Use an established sand bed with secure rocks and retreat spaces. Allow room for the fish to work along the substrate without constantly covering low-positioned corals. A tight-fitting cover is necessary because sleeper gobies can jump when unsettled.

Provide small meaty foods several times through the day, delivering them where the goby can feed. Natural sand fauna can supplement the menu, but visible sifting is not proof of sufficient intake. Choose peaceful companions and confirm compatibility before attempting to keep multiple bottom-dwelling gobies together.