Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Dinematichthys

Dineamtichthys riukiuensis

Aoyagi, 1954

Yellow Brotula, Yellow Eel Goby

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Southern Japan, Taiwan, and south to the Philippines.

Size: 4 inches (10 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits tidepools and lagoons, and found near and under coral heads at depths between 1 – 10 feet (1 – 3 m) and feeds mainly at night on small crabs, shrimps, fishes, and worms.

General Husbandry: This attractive, yet quite secretive and very rarely seen in the trade species is yellow overall, but brownish specimens do occasionally show up in the trade.

Best maintained in small reef or fish-only aquariums with several hiding places, as it’s quite shy. In fact, its owner may never see it again if there are many hiding places!

As to diet, it can be fed enriched live brine shrimp or a wide variety of frozen or fresh finely chopped meaty foodstuffs, and will also consume any small fishes and crustaceans in the aquarium. Should be fed at least once per day, usually during evening hours when the aquarium is in darkness. (Use a red light to find the location of the fish, and then offer it the food).

Not safe with very small fish, small crabs, or small ornamental crustaceans.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Ophidiiformes

    Suborder: Bythitoidei

    Family: Bythitidae

    Subfamily: Brosmophycinae

    Genus: Dinematichthys

FYI: Highly cryptic/nocturnal.

Gives birth to live young.

It’s ‘not’ a goby!

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful (will eat smaller fish and crustaceans)

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: With caution

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 10+ gallons

Temperature Range: 68 - 82°F (20 – 28°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5

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