Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Ocean Nutrition 

Priolepis

Priolepis nocturna

(Smith, 1957)

Blackbarred Reef Goby

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Seychelles, Marquesas, and Maldives, including the Philippines.

Size: 2 inches (4 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits coastal reef crevices and usually found at depths between 25 to 100 feet (8 – 30 m) where it feeds on tiny benthic invertebrates and zooplankton.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade having a tan body with several blackish wide vertical bands.

Can be maintained in small/nano reef or fish-only aquariums having various rocky crevices to hide, as those in this genus are quite secretive, until food inters the aquarium.

Should not be housed with aggressive fishes such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfishes or aggressive angelfishes.

Requires a meaty diet, i.e., enriched brine shrimp, mysis, finely chopped fish or shrimp flesh, and other various frozen carnivore foods, with two feedings per day.

FYI: One per aquarium.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Priolepis nocturna (Blackbarred Reef Goby)
Photo © Tristan Lougher
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