Neon Goby

The Neon Goby (Elacatinus oceanops) is a small Caribbean cleaner fish with a bright blue stripe along its dark body. Adults reach about 5 cm, making its scale and behaviour quite different from those of larger sand-sifting gobies.

In nature it picks parasites and debris from larger fish. In an aquarium it also needs regular meals: offer tiny pieces of frozen food or appropriately sized dry foods, and watch that larger fish do not take all the food before it can feed.

A reef aquarium with places to perch and retreat suits this species. Its cleaner behaviour does not protect it from every predator; ambush feeders and predatory invertebrates can still be a problem. Include your full fish and invertebrate list when asking whether a Neon Goby suits your setup.