Whitelined Goby

About

The Whitelined Goby (Amblygobius albimaculatus) is a bottom-dwelling species with a broad natural range stretching from the Red Sea and East Africa across the Indo-West Pacific to Australia and the South Pacific islands, including lagoons and estuaries where the substrate is sandy or silty. In the wild it's most often spotted in pairs, hovering just above the seafloor, and it's notably monogamous. A trait that makes it a bit unusual among gobies. It earns its keep as a sand-sifter, taking mouthfuls of substrate and processing them for food, and it actively excavates burrows in sandy or silty bottoms for shelter. That burrowing habit is worth planning around when setting up a tank, since a deep sand bed will keep this fish far more comfortable and occupied than bare rock. The body is elongated and pale with a pattern of horizontal markings and a distinct spot near the tail, making identification fairly straightforward once you know the fish. A sandy-bottomed tank of reasonable size with a compatible partner is really the ideal setup. This is an intermediate-level species. Not difficult, but it rewards keepers who think ahead about substrate depth and tank mates that won't compete aggressively for territory near the bottom.