Neon Goby

The Neon Goby is a tiny but brilliantly colored Caribbean species that serves as a natural cleaner fish on coral reefs. Its sleek, dark body is accented by two vivid electric-blue horizontal stripes that run from head to tail, creating a striking neon appearance that is visible from across the aquarium. This species is one of the few marine fish that has been commercially captive-bred for decades, making it an eco-friendly and hardy choice.

In the wild, Neon Gobies operate cleaning stations where larger fish visit to have parasites removed from their skin, gills, and mouths. This behavior carries over into the aquarium, where Neon Gobies will actively clean tankmates including tangs, angelfish, and other species. This fascinating symbiotic behavior is not only entertaining to observe but provides genuine health benefits to other aquarium inhabitants.

The Neon Goby is one of the best fish available for nano reef aquariums. It is peaceful, completely reef-safe, hardy, and readily accepts all prepared foods. Its small size makes it suitable for aquariums as small as 10 gallons. Multiple specimens can be kept together, as they are social and rarely aggressive toward each other. Captive-bred Neon Gobies are widely available and represent one of the great success stories of marine aquaculture.