Neon Goby

Facts about the Neon Goby, it is a group of sea gobies that belongs to the Elacatinus genus of the Gobiidae family. The binomial name of this goby is Elacatinus oceanops and it is known for involving in symbiosis with other sea creatures by offering them cleaning service, which consists of disposing of ectofleas on their bodies. In response, the Neon Goby species get their chief resource of food, the ectofleas. The Neon Goby typically exist in the western Atlantic and they can also be seen in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico and next to the northern parts of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Features

The Neon Goby is an extremely petite, torpedo-shaped fish, with the maximum body length of 0.98 inches (2.5 cm), even though the body size varies a little by species. The Neon Goby has a dark body with shining streaks running from the tip of its nose to the base of its caudal fin. The color of the streaks differs by species. Similar to all gobies, the dorsal fin of the Neon Goby is divided in two, such as the anterior dorsal fin and the posterior dorsal fin. The anterior dorsal fin is circular in shape similar to that of a Clownfish, whereas the posterior dorsal fin is relatively flat. The anal fin of the Neon Goby assembles with its posterior dorsal fin and is of analogous shape, whereas its pectoral fins that are almost circular in shape, similar to all other fins, which are transparent.

The head and smooth body of the Neon Goby are dark blue in color with an arresting horizontal light-blue line on both sides, beginning on top of its eyes and running the whole length of its body. The Neon Goby species is very resilient, and because of its small body size, it is an immense accumulation to a small reef aquarium.

The Neon Goby performs well in a bigger aquarium, with a minimum capacity of 10 gallons, filled with water with the temperature, ranging from 72 degrees Fahrenheit to 78 degrees Fahrenheit with the pH value between 8.1 and 8.4, and with the specific gravity between 1.020 and 1.025. The Neon Goby is a cleaner fish that will service other fish in the tank and assist control some infections. Normally, it is a peaceful fish, and by no means, it will turn into aggressive towards other tank mates, but it is a defensive fish, and will brawl with its individual class, except they are a mated couple. It is regular for this fish species producing eggs in an aquarium, by laying its eggs in a gap or unfilled shell.

Diet

The Neon Goby is a carnivorous fish, and in the wild, it primarily feeds on ectoparasites on fins, skins, and the mouth and gill cavities of its clients. According to the environmental situations, the Neon Goby may feed on non-parasitic copepods and zooplankton, as well. Even though this fish is carnivorous, it will occasionally feed on algae and other sea plants as minor food resource. In the aquarium, the fish will be fed with a range of frozen and live brine shrimp, table shrimp, frozen mysis shrimp and food preparations intended for carnivores. In the reef tank, the Neon Goby should be nourished once in a day.

The maximum lifespan of the Neon Goby is 2 years.