Diamond goby care

Quick reference

What is a diamond goby?

Valenciennea puellaris lives on sandy bottoms of clear lagoons and seaward reefs from the Red Sea to Samoa, usually at 10–30 m.^[4] Pairs share a shallow burrow, only a few centimetres deep, dug under large pieces of rubble, and FishBase lists the species as monogamous.^[4] In the aquarium it's prized as a sand cleaner: Quality Marine says it picks through the sand for small invertebrates and organic matter.^[2]

Feeding

The sand is its pantry, and in a young tank the pantry is empty. LiveAquaria calls for live sand and an attached, populated refugium, and says to feed it frequently with live and frozen brine shrimp, mysis, black worms and prepared carnivore foods.^[1] Quality Marine recommends feeding multiple times daily with meaty and algae-based foods.^[2] Bob Fenner warns that Valenciennea easily suffer from a lack of infauna and substrate to sift, and advises watching that a new fish doesn't get too skinny.^[3]

Aggression and spacing

Peaceful toward other fish,^{[1, 2]} but LiveAquaria says it will fight its own kind unless they are a mated pair.^[1] Quality Marine says they mate for life where they can and suggests keeping a mated pair.^[2] Fenner notes males are decidedly larger, so a source can often pick out an apparent pair.^[3]

Tankmates

Reef compatible according to LiveAquaria.^[1] Its sifting turns over the top of the sand bed, and Fenner notes Valenciennea stir sand more than Amblygobius gobies do,^[3] so expect sand to move around rockwork and onto low corals near its burrow. Give it rockwork, cracks and caves to retreat to as well as open sand.^[2]

Disease and quarantine

We found no disease information specific to the diamond goby. General marine fish guidance applies: CORAL Magazine recommends quarantining every incoming fish, captive-bred included, for at least 2–4 weeks, and UF/IFAS advises 3–6 weeks at 24–27 °C, longer when ich is suspected.^{[5, 6]} Quarantine is a feeding problem as much as a disease one: a bare quarantine tank has no sand fauna, so feed it closely and watch its weight.^[3] Quality Marine says Valenciennea may jump and need a tight-fitting cover.^[2]

Troubleshooting

Common mistakes

• •Adding it to a new tank or a thin, young sand bed.^{[1, 3]}
• •Relying on the sand to feed it.^{[1, 2]}
• •Keeping two that aren't a pair.^[1]
• •Leaving the tank uncovered.^[2]

Equipment & food for this species

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Frozen mysis is a good staple and quality pellets cover daily feeding. Many keepers soak food in a vitamin supplement such as Selcon.

Diamond goby FAQ

Do diamond gobies starve?

They can: Bob Fenner says Valenciennea easily suffer for lack of infauna and substrate to sift, and LiveAquaria says to feed them frequently.^{[3, 1]}

Are diamond gobies reef safe?

Yes, LiveAquaria lists it as reef compatible, though its sifting moves sand around the tank.^{[1, 3]}

What size tank does a diamond goby need?

LiveAquaria and Quality Marine say 30 gallons.^{[1, 2]} We use 55 so the sand bed can help feed it.

Can you keep two diamond gobies?

Only a mated pair; otherwise they fight.^[1]

How big do diamond gobies get?

About 6 in according to LiveAquaria; Quality Marine says just over 8 in.^{[1, 2]}

Is a diamond goby the same as an orange-spotted sleeper goby?

Yes: Quality Marine sells V. puellaris as the diamond watchman, orange-spotted sleeper or maiden goby.^[2]