Rainford's Goby

• ExerciseModerate

  An active swimmer that appreciates open swimming space.

• GroomingAttentive tank care

  Sensitive to water quality — stay on top of testing and maintenance.

• Living spaceNano-tank friendly

  Happy in a small, stable, well-filtered tank.

• Owner experienceSome experience helps

  A little know-how makes life smoother.

• Commitment3–5 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Ich (white spot) · Fin rot · Parasites

Rainford's Goby (Koumansetta rainfordi, formerly Amblygobius rainfordi) comes from the western Pacific and reaches about 6 to 7 cm. It is one of the more colourful small gobies, striped horizontally in orange and blue-green, and it spends the day methodically grazing filamentous algae and detritus from rock and sand. It needs a mature reef tank of 100 litres or more at 24-27C, salinity 1.024 to 1.026, pH 8.1 to 8.4, with plenty of live rock, a sand bed and an established population of copepods and algae. Feed frozen mysis, cyclops, enriched brine shrimp and small marine pellets, several times a day if possible. The honest constraint is nutrition: this species does poorly in a new or spotless tank, where it slowly wastes away despite looking fine at first, and it is not a fish for a system less than six months old. In a mature reef with a healthy pod population and regular small feedings it is peaceful, reef safe and a genuinely useful grazer.

• How active is a Rainford's Goby?

  Moderate. An active swimmer that appreciates open swimming space.

• How much maintenance does a Rainford's Goby need?

  Attentive tank care. Sensitive to water quality — stay on top of testing and maintenance.

• What tank size does a Rainford's Goby need?

  Nano-tank friendly. Happy in a small, stable, well-filtered tank.

• Is a Rainford's Goby a good fit for first-time owners?

  Some experience helps. A little know-how makes life smoother.

• How long do Rainford's Goby live?

  3–5 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the Rainford's Goby?

  Keep an eye out for Ich (white spot), Fin rot, Parasites. These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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