Blennies/gobies/Basslets,saltwater fish

Rusty Goby ( Priolepis hipoliti )

RUSTY GOBY

Family: Gobiidae

(Priolepis hipoliti)

(formerly Quisquilius hipoliti)

Metzelaar, 1922

Another great little fish for a nano tank! These guys tolerate higher temperatures, up to 83 F and are another great addition to your tank! They are small, easy to feed, peaceful, and add a nice splash of color. Since these are not commonly sold in the mainstream aquarium trade, you will have a unique fish that most people don't see in saltwater tanks!

They are small, only getting to 1.5" and come in 2 color variations. One is an orangish red color with lighter vertical bars. The other color variation which is more common in the Florida area are more of a light orangey yellow with narrow bluish gray vertical bars with one at the head area and the 8th one at the base of the tail fin. Some fins have rows of small dots that are orange in color.

Keep with other peaceful fish that will not eat them! They work in a fish only or reef tank and eat meaty foods for carnivores, since they mostly eat zooplankton in the wild. Do not keep with aggressive fish like dottybacks, triggers, aggressive angels or groupers.

Feed once or twice a day mysis, brine shrimp, finely chopped shrimp and fish, and cycloppeze.

Temperature: 72 - 83F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 12 gallons

Tank Mates: Any, except aggressive fish and those who may eat small fish whole

Reef Safe: YES

Max Size: 1.5"

Care Level: Easy

Information:

Carrie L. McBirney

Item #GobbieR

Price $10.00

rusty goby mated pair (Priolepis hipoliti )

RUSTY GOBY

Family: Gobiidae

(Priolepis hipoliti)

(formerly Quisquilius hipoliti)

Metzelaar, 1922

Another great little fish for a nano tank! These guys tolerate higher temperatures, up to 83 F and are another great addition to your tank! They are small, easy to feed, peaceful, and add a nice splash of color. Since these are not commonly sold in the mainstream aquarium trade, you will have a unique fish that most people don't see in saltwater tanks!

They are small, only getting to 1.5" and come in 2 color variations. One is an orangish red color with lighter vertical bars. The other color variation which is more common in the Florida area are more of a light orangey yellow with narrow bluish gray vertical bars with one at the head area and the 8th one at the base of the tail fin. Some fins have rows of small dots that are orange in color.

Keep with other peaceful fish that will not eat them! They work in a fish only or reef tank and eat meaty foods for carnivores, since they mostly eat zooplankton in the wild. Do not keep with aggressive fish like dottybacks, triggers, aggressive angels or groupers.

Feed once or twice a day mysis, brine shrimp, finely chopped shrimp and fish, and cycloppeze.

Temperature: 72 - 83F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 12 gallons

Tank Mates: Any, except aggressive fish and those who may eat small fish whole

Reef Safe: YES

Max Size: 1.5"

Care Level: Easy

Information:

Carrie L. McBirney

Item #rustyPM

Price $20.00

neon goby single ( Gobiosoma oceanops )

NEON GOBY

(CLEANER GOBY)

Family: Gobiidae

(Gobiomosa evelynae)

Bohlke & Robbins, 1968

These fish are the BEST for cleaning crypt and other undesirable things off your tangs and other fish! (Shark Nose gobies only clean select fish, but Neon Gobies will take care of everyone!) Save the cleaner wrasses, who die in captivity quickly and obtain these guys for your parasite problem and prevention! They don't "have to have" only live organisms to survive like cleaner wrasses, but will also eat aquarium food. You may have noticed the tank bred Neon Gobies seem to have lost their understanding of what is expected of them. Until breeders "teach" their brood with a wild caught Neon Goby and a few tangs, this will not be learned. It is possible to buy a tank bred and a wild caught, put them in the same tank, and hopefully the tank bred goby will "learn" from the wild caught that they are expected to clean.

They are easy to identify with their black and blue striped bodies, clear fins and ability to "perch" on anything! Their diminutive size makes them great for small nano tanks.

Neon Gobies are great for any sized tank, reef, non-reef, nano, you name it! Larger fish that eat small fish may not be the best mates, unless they are fish from the Atlantic that recognize your goby as a cleaner. Most large fish will recognize the coloring, but be cautious. It is not uncommon for them to breed in captivity and if a person decided to do this, lots of information is found on the web. Just make sure you "teach" the babies how to clean other fish.

Feed them whatever you feed your other fish. Of course, small meaty pieces are appreciated for their little mouths. Mysis, finely shaved shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp and cyclopeeze are just a few foods they like. Like most saltwater fish, feed at least 2ce a day for a reef system and 3 times in fish only.

Temperature: 74 - 82F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 12 gallons

Tank Mates: Any, except those who may eat small fish whole

Reef Safe: YES

Max Size: 1.6"

Care: Easy

Information:

Carrie L. McBirney

Item #neong

Price $8.00

neon goby mated pair ( Gobiosoma oceanops )

NEON GOBY

(CLEANER GOBY)

Family: Gobiidae

(Gobiomosa evelynae)

Bohlke & Robbins, 1968

These fish are the BEST for cleaning crypt and other undesirable things off your tangs and other fish! (Shark Nose gobies only clean select fish, but Neon Gobies will take care of everyone!) Save the cleaner wrasses, who die in captivity quickly and obtain these guys for your parasite problem and prevention! They don't "have to have" only live organisms to survive like cleaner wrasses, but will also eat aquarium food. You may have noticed the tank bred Neon Gobies seem to have lost their understanding of what is expected of them. Until breeders "teach" their brood with a wild caught Neon Goby and a few tangs, this will not be learned. It is possible to buy a tank bred and a wild caught, put them in the same tank, and hopefully the tank bred goby will "learn" from the wild caught that they are expected to clean.

They are easy to identify with their black and blue striped bodies, clear fins and ability to "perch" on anything! Their diminutive size makes them great for small nano tanks.

Neon Gobies are great for any sized tank, reef, non-reef, nano, you name it! Larger fish that eat small fish may not be the best mates, unless they are fish from the Atlantic that recognize your goby as a cleaner. Most large fish will recognize the coloring, but be cautious. It is not uncommon for them to breed in captivity and if a person decided to do this, lots of information is found on the web. Just make sure you "teach" the babies how to clean other fish.

Feed them whatever you feed your other fish. Of course, small meaty pieces are appreciated for their little mouths. Mysis, finely shaved shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp and cyclopeeze are just a few foods they like. Like most saltwater fish, feed at least 2ce a day for a reef system and 3 times in fish only.

Temperature: 74 - 82F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 12 gallons

Tank Mates: Any, except those who may eat small fish whole

Reef Safe: YES

Max Size: 1.6"

Care: Easy

Information:

Carrie L. McBirney

Item #neongP

Price $25.00

hairy blenny ( Labrisomus nuchipinnis )

HAIRY BLENNY

Family: Labrisomidae

(Labrisomus nuchipinnis)

Quoy & Gaimard, 1824

The Hairy Blenny is a unique addition to your tank, since it is not typically sold in most stores or online, and are great for your reef tank! They feed on small crustaceans and only get to 3" so they are great for nano tanks too! They have all the personality of a blenny in a compact size! They are found in rocky and rubble areas with algal areas near caves and other convenient hiding areas.

The females typically have a gray to tan body with brown mottling with several vertical brown bars that extend from the dorsal fin and terminate just above the belly area. When mating, the male Hairy Blenny has a gray to white body with yellow coloration of the fins and head and the vertical brown bars become more pronounced. The yellow fins are a characteristic of males as well.

The Hairy Blenny is only going to show aggressiveness only if in a small tank if there is another Hairy Blenny, unless they are a mated pair. If the tank is much larger, over 55 gallons, keeping more than one would be possible, as long as both have plenty of places to hide. Otherwise, they are peaceful, can hold their own, except if you have large fish that EAT small fish like these guys!. They are easy to feed. Corals are not on their menu, unlike some genus of blennies, so they are a safe bet for your reef tank. If it appears they are "pecking" at corals, it is probably a little copepod trying to hide from the hungry blenny near the base of the coral, so no worries here!

Feed them meaty fare such as mysis, chopped fish and shrimp. In the wild they will eat small crustaceans, tiny brittle stars (those little 1/4" ones), small gastropods, sea urchins and tiny fish.

Temperature: 74 - 82F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 20 gallons (over 55 for more than one)

Tank Mates: Any, except those who may eat small fish whole

Reef Safe: YES

Item #hairy

Price $9.00

HOVERING GOBY ( HELEN'S DARTFISH )

HOVERING GOBY

(HELEN'S DARTFISH)

Family: Ptereleotridae

Randall, 1968

This Atlantic dartfish is a very interesting fish! They like to hover, thus the name, over their burrow, head down, ready to take advantage of their shelter. This behavior makes them a very COOL addition to a peaceful tank! How many fish hover upside down? So cool! They get to about 4.7" so they are definitely easy to see! They are found in "U-shaped" burrows in pairs on sandy or coral rubble bottoms.

These little dartfish gobies are a pale bluish-gray with a casting of lavender. The fins are greenish yellow with a rounded tail fin. Their slender shape makes them a perfect hole dweller, so make sure you have some crushed coral mixed in with your sand in an area of the tank so they can make a burrow. Or provide with small caves to hide in. Make sure you have a tightly fitting lid as they are prone to jump. They will hide for a week or more when first put in the tank. Putting in a small group helps with their shyness, but should be in a tank that is at least 55 gallons for 3 or more. Will spawn in captivity with eggs being tended to by the female.

Keep with other dart gobies and other peaceful tank mates with lots of places to hide. Do not keep with aggressive or even semi-aggressive fish or they will not come out and may starve due to fear of venturing out. If you can find a mated pair, that is best.

Feed once to twice a day with meaty foods like frozen seafood, frozen foods for carnivores, and any type of fresh shrimp flesh, mysis or brine shrimp.

Temperature: 74 - 82F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 29 gallons

Tank Mates: Peaceful

Reef Safe: Yes

Max Size: 4.7"

Care Level: Easy-Moderate (make sure of substrate and tight fitting lid)

Information:

Carrie L. McBirney

Item #hovgobby

Price $8.00

Lantern Bass ( Serranus baldwini )

LANTERN BASS

Family: Serranidae

(Serranus baldwini)

Evermann & Marsh, 1899

This fish is great in a moderately aggressive tank, won't bother corals although they will size up and consume small fish and shrimp. So a "semi-aggressive" reef or fish only tank would work out great! They are small but pack a powerful personality. They inhabit rockey and weedy areas and feed on shrimp and small fish

Their body shape and location of their eyes gives evidence to their predatory nature. The top half of their body has brown and opaque vertical irregular bars that form into dots and the bottom half of their body is lighter with several dots and dashes of brown and reddish orange. There is a yellow to opaque vertical bar that seems to separate the 2 halves. Their eyes are red with a black pupil and their fins are clear.

House in a tank that is at least 29 gallons with fish like hamlets, grunts, pygmy angles, larger hawkfish, hogfish, larger wrasses, damsels and tangs. Do not keep with passive fish, especially the smaller passive fish as these will become dinner. Two can be kep in a larger tank that is 60 gallons or more.

Feed any food for carnivores such as shrimp and fish flesh, mysis shrimp and other prepared foods of similar nutrition.

Temperature: 74 - 82F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 29 gallons

Tank Mates: Semi-Aggressive fish that are similar in size or larger.

Reef Safe: With Caution (will take out small fish and shrimp)

Max Size: 4-5"

Care Level: Easy

Information:

Carrie L. McBirney

Item #BassLn

Price $7.00

Masked goby ( Coryphopterus personatus )

MASKED GOBY

Family: Gobiidae

(Coryphopterus personatus)

Jordan & Thompson, 1905

This is a great fish to breed in captivity! Easy to breed and peaceful, they area great addition to any nano or reef tank! They are found in groups near coral areas in shaded areas near caves. The foods they eat include algae and small zooplankton, so they are safe with corals, in fact, they help keep algae off your corals. So no, they are not eating your coral, but keeping them healthy by keeping the algae from overgrowing on them.

The color of the Masked Goby is a clear orange/gray near the top and at the chin and belly area, with the middle area being orange from the nose area and narrowing toward the tail, with 6 or more little dashes in white/clear down the center. The fins are clear with a little bit of blue on the nose of some specimens and dark eyes with a light blue iridescent line running horizontally at the top area of the eye.

These fish are peaceful and work in any sized tank. They are beneficial for keeping algae under control near corals, and bought in groups make a very COOL spectacle in your tank! While most fish purchased in groups need a huge tank, being that they are only 1.5", you can get this effect in a 55 or larger tank!

Feed them the same as any small goby, small meaty foods like cyclopeeze, finely chopped shrimp, and provide them with vegetable based foods if they are not in a reef environment. Feed at least 2ce a day in a reef environment, and more in a fish only tank.

Temperature: 74 - 82F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 10 gallons

Tank Mates: Any, except those who may eat small fish whole

Reef Safe: YES

Max Size: 1.5"

Care: Easy

Information:

Carrie L. McBirney

Item #gobyMask

Price $7.50

Rhino Blenny ( Paraclinus marmoratus )

RHINO BLENNY

(MARBLED or SEAWEED BLENNY)

Family: Labrisomidae)

Suborder: Blennioidea

(Paraclinus marmoratus)

(formerly Parablennius marmoreus)

Steindachner, 1876

Not many places sell these VERY cool blennies! Get yours while they are still in season! These guys live near seagrass beds and coral reefs and have a unique look about them with the male having at extended dorsal fin near the head area.

The Rhino Blenny is a mottling of tan and white with brown accents. Males have an extended "rhino-like" horn behind the head which is an extension of the front of the dorsal fin. Females lack this feature, but have the same cool personality!

They are reef safe, cleaning algae off of corals and rocks. Some have seen them nipping at stony corals and clam mantles, but it is possible they were just eating algae that was starting to form. Other blennies may fight also, so please monitor closely unless tank is larger, over 75 gallons. Other fish that are algae eaters that look similar, or smaller fish that enter their territory will be met with swift punishment.

Feed several times a day a diet rich with spirulina. Foods with vegetable matter need to be fed to supplement their diet, even a tank that has a good supply of algae. If there is not enough algae they will slowly starve. This great little "janitor" is peaceful, except with others of the same genus unless a mated pair.

Temperature: 74 - 80F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 55 gallons (with plenty of algae)

Tank Mates: Any

Reef Safe: YES

Max Size: 4"

Item #BleenyRH

Price $6.00

Saddle Blenny ( Malacoctenus triangulatus )

SADDLED BLENNY

Family: Labrisomidae

(Malacoctenus triangulatus)

Springer, 1959

The Saddled Blenny is the only blenny with such a distinct patterning. Like other little blennies, these guys like to hang our in crevices within weedy areas and rubble in coral reefs and rocky shores. They eat small crustaceans, making them an easy fish for your tank! They will do nothing for your algae problems though, since these blennies are carnivores.

As indicated by the species name, triangulatus, there are triangular shaped bars that are wide on the top of the back and narrow at the belly. These are dark brownish red over a light white/light gray body. The top of the head is dark as well with a few dots here and there all over the body. Very cool little fish!

Their small 3" size also makes them great for a nano tank if desired, yet copepod population may suffer if the tank is less than 29 gallons. Keeping them in a larger tank posses no problems, especially when fed regularly. They are peaceful except for others of their own kind, so if housing more than one, or other small blennies that are similar in shape, keep in a tank that is at least 55 gallons with lots of hiding places.

Feed several times a day, mysis, shaved shrimp, cylcopeeze and other small meaty fare.

Temperature: 74 - 82F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 20 gallons

Tank Mates: Any, except those who may eat small fish whole

Reef Safe: YES

Max Size: 3"

Care Level: Easy

Information:

Carrie L. McBirney

Item #blennyS

Price $8.00

sailfin blenny ( Emblemaria pandionis )

SAILFIN BLENNY

Family: Chaenopsidae

(Emblemaria pandionis)

Evermann & Marsh, 1900

Several fish are named with "Sailfin Blenny" so do not confuse this one with Altrosalaias fuscus. This is the perfect blenny for your empty barnacles! They love to live in empty worm holes, coral rubble or any other item that forms a hole. They will leave the hole briefly to feed or check something out, but for the most part they stay put. They are found in groups in the ocean over a large area. So a tank that is 4' long may work for 2 of them or one in a nano tank. A male and female pair may work in a smaller tank as well.

They only grow to 2" so they are another great little fish for your nano tank or larger! Females and males are easy to identify. The females are light tan with small pales spots and dark flecks scattered about. The dorsal fin is lighter with has dark broken lines that parallel the body shape. The males are darker. They have an extended dorsal fin which can be almost as deep as their own body on the males! Male pelvic fins are paddle shaped. Like all blennies they are scaleless with a cirrus, or a fleshly appendage over each eye and a smaller cirrus over each nostril.

These guys are pretty mellow except when in a small tank with other zooplankton blennies. Larger tanks facilitate a calmer demeanor, especially when they have a cool hole to live in. They won't do anything for your algae problem, as they are zooplankton eaters, but they will do something for your biodiversity! Seeing that cool long fin extend when looking for a mate or warning off others is very interesting. They will not do well in an aggressive tank, as they will not come out to eat and will slowly starve to death. Being very shy is the result of this eventuality.

They will eat any meaty food including shaved shrimp, mysis, brine, cyclopeeze and other foods of similar nutrition. Feed several times a day.

Temperature: 74 - 82F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 15 gallons

Tank Mates: Any, except those who may eat small fish whole

Reef Safe: YES

Max Size: 2"

Care Level: Easy

Information:

Carrie L. McBirney

Item #saifin

Price $16.00

Sand-Canyon Goby ( Coryphopterus Venezuelae )

Sand-Canyon Goby

Family: Gobiidae

(Coryphopterus Venezuelae

previously C. bol)

Cervigon 1966

Typical of most gobies, these guys are GREAT for your reef tank, as well as a nano-tank since they only get up to 3" or 7.5 cm and pose no threat to corals or other fish. They are peaceful, and are easy to feed and take care of! This group of gobies are referred to as "sand gobies" or "sand-perching gobies" since, well, that is where they are usually found..... over sand or mud/sand mixed substrates. They are found in offshore canyon habitats and rocky points with strong currents so it would probably appreciate some swift water movement in some area of the tank. This indicates they want nothing to do with coral and are happy eating zooplankton or mysis and other small meaty foods, prepared and frozen.

Gobies in the Coryphopterus genus seem to all have several sets of markings such as spots, stripes and bars that are found on the sides and tops of their heads, around the ear area and at the base of the tail fin and the base of the pectoral fin. They are a clearish color all over their body with the above mentioned patterns in mixes of iridescent blue or white, orange-yellow to orange with tiny black speckles on the back and face. The fins are opaque to transparent, with the 2 dorsal fins ray's which may have a slight yellow to brown color with a tiny whitish opaque speckling over the fin's transparent background.

These interesting little gobies are still being categorized, and it is often hard to identify actual species. They have some variation in color patterns, but going by the basic behavior in the wild can help us decide on the correct environment for them in captivity. They thrive in a typical reef setting and like other gobies will eat meaty fare. Definitely an interesting and cool addition to your tank!

Temperature: 72 - 79F

PH: 8.0 to 8.4

Salinity: 1.023 to 1.025

Minimum tank size: 20 gallons

Tank Mates: Any, except those who may eat small fish whole

Reef Safe: YES

Max Size: 3"

Information:

Carrie L. McBirney

Item #gobyglass

Price $7.00

tabacco bass ( Serranus tabacarius )

Common name:
Tabacco Bass

Scientific name:
Serranus tabacarius

Depth found:
5' to 100'

Size: 2'' to 3''

Compatibility:
Will eat a fish half it's size

How common: Very

Item #bassTo

Price $18.00