goby dragon

The Purple Goby, Peruvian Goby or Dragon Goby, scientific name Gobioides broussonnetii, belongs to the Gobiidae family. It has a bizarre appearance, reminiscent of snake-like dragons from Chinese folklore. However, such a formidable appearance does not at all reflect the peculiarities of behavior – it is a very peaceful and calm fish.

Habitat

Occurs from the American continents, is found in a vast territory from the southern states of the United States to the northeastern part of South America, including the islands of the Caribbean. It lives everywhere, mainly in the mouths and deltas of small rivers with brackish water flowing into the ocean.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 450 liters.
• Temperature – 22-26°C
• Value pH — 7.5–9.0
• Water hardness – medium and high hardness (10-25 dGH)
• Substrate type – sandy
• Lighting – subdued, moderate
• Salt water – 5-15 gr. of salt per liter of water
• Water movement – light or moderate
• The size of the fish is 60 cm.
• Nutrition – vegetable feed
• Temperament – peaceful
• Content alone or in a group

Description

In nature, adults reach a length of up to 60 cm or more. In aquariums grow a little less. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed. There are no clear visible differences between male and female. It has a long snake-like body shape, a large head with a large mouth. The dorsal fin in the form of a comb stretches along the entire length of the fish. The color is gray with a blue tint.

Power supply

Despite its menacing appearance, the Dragon Goby is a vegetarian. The basis of the diet are filamentous algae and detritus. In the home aquarium, it can be accustomed to plant-based dry sinking foods.

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

The optimal size of the aquarium for this not too active fish starts from 450 liters. In the design, a sandy soft substrate with a thickness of at least 7–10 cm is used, since the Peruvian goby likes to partially dig into the ground. In addition, it is desirable to provide several places for shelter in the form of snags, grottoes and gorges formed by rocks. In the simplest version, you can use a hollow plastic pipe of a suitable diameter. Plants for brackish water can be anything, as long as they are properly adapted.

The main difficulty in keeping this species is maintaining stable water conditions of suitable salinity. The salt concentration should be a quarter of the sea, i.e., from about 5 to 15 grams. for 1 liter of water. It is advisable to purchase equipment and other life support components designed for marine aquariums.

Behavior and Compatibility

Calm, not aggressive. Able to live both alone and in a group. May get along with other fish from brackish systems provided they are not overly active or small. Although the Dragon Goby is a herbivore, on occasion it can accidentally eat a neighbor that is too small.

Fish diseases

Health problems in this species can begin with prolonged exposure to unsuitable conditions and the lack of a proper diet. Other than that, it’s pretty hardy. Read more about symptoms and treatments in the Aquarium Fish Diseases section.