Engineer Goby

Engineer Goby (Pholidichthys leucotaenia) Care Level: Easy Temperament: Peaceful Colour Form: Black, White Diet: Carnivore Reef Compatible: Yes Water Conditions: 72-78°F, dKH 6-12, pH 7.8-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025 Max Size: 12-24" (30-61 cm) Family: Pholidichthyidae Minimum Tank Size: 200 Litres Overview The Engineer Goby, also known as the Convict Goby, is a fascinating fish for both its appearance and behaviour. Although called a "goby," it is actually more closely related to the Pholidichthyidae family. As juveniles, they feature bold black and white horizontal stripes, resembling a convict, but as they mature, their stripes shift to a more banded, eel-like pattern. The Engineer Goby is known for its burrowing habits, digging extensive tunnels in the substrate, which can alter the aquascape of your tank. This makes it an interesting and active addition to marine aquariums, especially those with plenty of rockwork and sand. Behaviour and Habitat In the wild, the Engineer Goby inhabits coastal areas, where it digs tunnels beneath rocks and coral rubble. This behaviour translates to home aquariums, where it will spend a significant amount of time constructing tunnels and rearranging the substrate. This burrowing can cause disturbances to the aquascape, so it's important to secure live rock to avoid collapsing structures. Despite their busy digging, they are generally peaceful and get along well with most tankmates, including other peaceful community fish. Tank Requirements Due to its burrowing nature, the Engineer Goby requires an aquarium with fine sand or small crushed coral as the substrate. A 200 litre tank or larger is recommended to accommodate its size and active digging behaviour. Plenty of live rock should be provided to allow for natural hiding places and tunnelling opportunities. Their digging can sometimes cloud the water temporarily and shift the position of corals or decorations, so it's important to design your tank with this in mind. Make sure live rock is well-secured to prevent accidents. Diet The Engineer Goby is a carnivore and enjoys a diet of meaty foods, such as mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and finely chopped seafood like squid, clam, or fish. They can also be fed high-quality pellets or frozen carnivore preparations. It's important to feed them a varied diet to ensure they receive proper nutrition. Care Tips Ensure plenty of substrate depth for digging and burrowing. Secure rockwork to avoid collapses as the goby digs beneath. Feed a variety of meaty foods to promote healthy growth and vibrant coloration. Compatibility The Engineer Goby is a peaceful species, making it an ideal candidate for community tanks. It typically ignores other tankmates, although it can grow quite large, reaching up to 2 feet in length in some cases. Despite its large size, it rarely poses a threat to other fish, even small ones. However, care should be taken with small invertebrates, such as shrimp, which may be consumed as the Engineer Goby matures. With its intriguing burrowing behaviour and peaceful nature, the Engineer Goby is a great choice for hobbyists who enjoy observing natural digging and tunnelling activities. Its adaptability to a wide range of marine environments makes it a popular addition to both fish-only and reef aquariums.