Sharknose Goby

The Sharknose Goby is a strikingly beautiful and ecologically fascinating tiny fish from the Caribbean, easily recognized by its sleek dark body adorned with a vivid neon stripe that can range from bright yellow to blue depending on regional color morphs. The name derives from its distinctive pointed snout that gives its face a slightly shark-like profile. This species belongs to the Elacatinus genus of cleaner gobies, a group famous for their symbiotic cleaning behavior on coral reefs.

On wild Caribbean reefs, Sharknose Gobies operate dedicated cleaning stations where they perch prominently on coral heads and attract larger fish seeking parasite removal. The goby fearlessly approaches fish many times its size, including groupers and moray eels, and meticulously picks parasites, dead skin, and mucus from their bodies, gills, and even inside their mouths. This remarkable cleaning behavior carries over into the aquarium, where Sharknose Gobies will actively service tankmates, providing genuine health benefits to other fish in the system.

The Sharknose Goby is an excellent nano reef fish suitable for aquariums as small as 10 gallons. It is completely reef-safe, peaceful, hardy, and readily accepts all prepared foods. Its small size, bold coloration, and fascinating cleaning behavior make it a wonderful addition to community reef tanks of any size. This species has been successfully captive-bred, and captive-raised specimens are occasionally available. Their natural lifespan is relatively short at 2 to 3 years, but their engaging personality and cleaning activities make them well worth keeping.