Diamond Goby – Valenciennea puellaris

The Diamond Goby is a popular sand-sifting reef fish known for constantly filtering the substrate while searching for small food particles.

Its active behavior helps keep the upper layer of the sand bed clean and aerated, making it a useful and attractive addition to established marine aquariums with a mature sand bed.

Key Features

• Scientific name: Valenciennea puellaris

• Common name: Diamond Goby

• Temperament: Peaceful

• Reef safe: Yes

• Care level: Moderate

• Adult size: Approximately 5–6 inches

• Minimum aquarium size: 30 gallons

• Diet: Carnivore / microfauna feeder

• Water temperature: 75–80°F

• Salinity: 1.023–1.026 specific gravity

• Recommended pH: 8.1–8.4

Aquarium Care

Diamond Gobies do best in established aquariums with a mature sand bed containing natural microfauna.

They spend much of their time taking mouthfuls of sand, filtering out food particles, and releasing the cleaned sand through their gills.

A secure aquarium lid is strongly recommended, as gobies can jump when startled.

Provide open sand areas as well as rockwork for shelter.

Feeding

Although Diamond Gobies naturally forage from the substrate, they should also receive regular supplemental feeding.

Suitable foods include:

• Frozen mysis shrimp

• Brine shrimp

• Finely chopped marine foods

• Enriched frozen preparations

• Small sinking marine pellets

Make sure the fish is actively feeding, particularly in newer or very clean aquariums.

Reef Compatibility

Diamond Gobies are generally reef-safe and compatible with corals and most marine invertebrates.

Because of their sand-sifting behavior, they may move sand onto low-positioned corals or create small mounds around rockwork.

They are best suited for reef aquariums with sufficient open sand area.

Francois Neo AquaStudio Selection

Our livestock is selected with attention to health, feeding response, body condition, behavior and overall aquarium suitability.

Availability may vary depending on current livestock inventory.

Individual size, markings and coloration may vary from one fish to another.