Easy

Neon Goby

By The Aquarium Calculators Editorial Team ·

Elacatinus oceanops

Complete Neon Goby care guide covering carnivore diet requirements, peaceful temperament, minimum 10 Gallons tank setup, and compatible saltwater tankmates. Difficulty: Easy.

Neon Goby

Quick Answer

Neon Goby (Elacatinus oceanops) is a tiny cleaner fish that sets up cleaning stations, picking parasites off larger fish. It requires a minimum 10 Gallons aquarium with a pH of 8.1 - 8.4 and temperature range of 24-26°C. This carnivore occupies the bottom/middle zone and makes an excellent addition to community setups.

Intro

Neon Goby (Elacatinus oceanops) is a tiny cleaner fish that sets up cleaning stations, picking parasites off larger fish. Its bright blue horizontal stripe is eye-catching.

Setup

A 10-gallon or larger nano reef with live rock and caves. Gentle water flow. Provide overhangs where they can clean other fish.

Feeding

Carnivorous; eats mysis, brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood, and small pellets. Feed small amounts twice daily.

Compatibility

Peaceful. Keep singly or as a mated pair. Good with most reef-safe fish, especially larger fish that accept cleaning. Avoid aggressive fish that might eat them.

Fish Compatibility Calculator

Enter your details below for an instant recommendation.

Recommended Output

Pair status badge

--

Pair status desc

--

Temp pct val

--

Temp summary text

--

Ph pct val

--

Ph summary text

--

Space val

--

Space summary text

--

Layer emoji

--

Layer status text

--

Layer badge

--

Profile temp badge

--

Perfect list

--

Caution list

--

Incompatible list

--

Profile emoji

--

Profile name

--

Profile sci

--

Profile zone

--

Profile mintank

--

Profile temp

--

Profile ph

--

Profile note

--

Perfect count

--

Caution count

--

Incompatible count

--

Tank Position
Bottom/Middle
Water Temp
24-26°C
Adult Size
See profile
Water pH
8.1 - 8.4

Species Characteristics

Adult Size
Lifespan
Growth Rate
moderate
Tank Compatibility
Community compatible
Indoor Aquarium
Yes

Water Parameters

Water Temperature
Humidity
Water pH

Tank Lighting

Tank Lighting
Standard lighting
Light Hours
N/A
Intensity
moderate

Feeding & Diet

Diet Type
Diet: Carnivore
Feeding Schedule
N/A
Live Food Options
N/A

Continue Learning

Recommended Tools

Fish Compatibility Calculator fish compatibility

Health & Disease

Ich (White Spot Disease) common disease • all fish

Related Guides

Understanding pH in Aquariums water parameters • ph

Similar Species

Banggai Cardinalfish Care Guide: Tank Size & Diet semanticSimilarity Blue Green Chromis Care Guide: Reef Tank & Diet semanticSimilarity Coral Banded Shrimp Care Guide: Water Params & Breeding semanticSimilarity

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Neon Gobies should be kept together?
Keep singly or as a verified male-female mated pair in a tank of at least 10 gallons (38 liters) for a single, 20 gallons (75 liters) for a pair. Neon gobies (Elacatinus oceanops) are small cleaner gobies that can safely inhabit nano marine or reef aquariums. Two males or unbonded individuals may fight. Provide at least 2 separate caves or overhangs. A mated pair requires a tank of 15+ gallons. For a single fish, 10 gallons is adequate. Avoid with aggressive tank mates (triggerfish, large wrasses).
What are the exact marine water parameters for Neon Gobies?
Target pH 8.1 - 8.4, specific gravity 1.023 - 1.025 (35-35.5 ppt), General Hardness 7 - 12 dGH, Carbonate Hardness 8 - 12 dKH, Total Dissolved Solids 32,000 - 35,000 ppm, and temperature 72°F - 78°F (22°C - 26°C). Maintain nitrates below 10 ppm with weekly 15% water changes. Use a protein skimmer and live rock (1 lb/gallon). Provide moderate water flow (8x turnover). Stable salinity is critical; fluctuations >0.002 cause stress. Ammonia must be 0 ppm; they are sensitive to organic waste.
What is the dietary and medication protocol for Neon Gobies?
They are carnivores requiring 60% protein, 15% fat, 25% algae. Feed frozen cyclops, finely minced mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and small marine micro pellets twice daily. They also clean parasites off larger fish in reef tanks. Supplement with enriched brine shrimp. Medication alert: Tolerate copper (0.15 mg/L Cupramine) but sensitive to hyposalinity below 1.018. Praziquantel is safe. Quarantine with chloroquine phosphate (15 mg/L) for 14 days. Avoid formalin. They are hardy but can carry brooklynella; treat with formalin dips.
How to breed Neon Gobies in captivity?
Condition a bonded pair with frozen mysis and enriched brine shrimp for 3 weeks. Provide a small cave or PVC pipe (1 inch diameter). The pair selects a cave; female lays 50-150 adhesive eggs on the ceiling. Male guards and fans eggs for 5-7 days at 75°F (24°C). Eggs hatch; larvae are 2 mm and require rotifers (Brachionus) and phytoplankton for 21-28 days. Metamorphosis occurs at 0.3 inches (8 mm). Larval rearing is challenging; use green water. Feed baby brine shrimp after day 14.

Related Content

fish

African Butterflyfish

Complete African Butterflyfish care guide covering carnivore diet requirements, semi-aggressive temperament, minimum 30 Gallons tank setup, and compatible freshwater tankmates. Difficulty: Advanced.

fish

African Cichlid

Complete African Cichlid care guide covering omnivore diet requirements, aggressive temperament, minimum 55 Gallons tank setup, and compatible freshwater tankmates. Difficulty: Advanced.

fish

African Leaf Fish

Complete African Leaf Fish care guide covering carnivore diet requirements, semi-aggressive temperament, minimum 55 Gallons tank setup, and compatible freshwater tankmates. Difficulty: Moderate.

fish

African Red Eyed Tetra

Complete African Red Eyed Tetra care guide covering omnivore diet requirements, peaceful temperament, minimum 30 Gallons tank setup, and compatible freshwater tankmates. Difficulty: Easy.

fish

Angelfish

Complete Angelfish care guide covering omnivore diet requirements, semi-aggressive temperament, minimum 30 Gallons tank setup, and compatible freshwater tankmates. Difficulty: Moderate.

fish

Apistogramma

Complete Apistogramma care guide covering omnivore diet requirements, peaceful temperament, minimum 20 Gallons tank setup, and compatible freshwater tankmates. Difficulty: Easy.