{"product_id":"dragon-sleeper-goby-amblygobius-phalaena-saltwater","title":"Dragon Sleeper Goby (Amblygobius phalaena)","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"background:#E0F7FA;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding:10px 14px;margin:0 0 14px;font-size:0.95em;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIn-store pickup only.\u003c\/strong\u003e Your order is reserved, we hold off on bagging until you arrive so it stays healthy in its display tank.\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Dragon Sleeper Goby (\u003cem\u003eAmblygobius phalaena\u003c\/em\u003e), also known as the Banded, Bullet, or Sphinx Goby, is a hardworking sand-sifter that doubles as a peaceful, reef-safe showpiece. Marked with bold brown bands and orange-spotted fins, it spends its day taking mouthfuls of sand and sifting them through its gills, keeping the top layer of your sand bed clean, aerated, and free of detritus and cyanobacteria.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse the rest of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/collections\/fish\"\u003esaltwater fish\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/collections\/salt-water\"\u003emarine livestock\u003c\/a\u003e to round out your reef.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eCare Guide\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis goby earns its keep as a cleanup crew member, but it does best in a mature tank with plenty to graze on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEstablished sand bed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Provide a 30 gallon or larger tank with a deep, established sand bed and live rock. A mature sand bed full of microfauna is important, since this goby grazes the sand all day.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSand-sifting.\u003c\/strong\u003e It scoops mouthfuls of substrate and passes them through its gills, removing leftover food and detritus and helping keep nuisance cyanobacteria off the sand. It is one of the best natural sand-bed cleaners in the hobby.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeeding.\u003c\/strong\u003e Even with a good sand bed, offer several small meals a day of mysis, frozen marine preparations, and quality pellets. A thin or sunken belly is a sign it is underfed. Wild specimens can be picky at first, so a varied menu helps it settle in.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTemperament.\u003c\/strong\u003e Peaceful and reef-safe, but territorial toward other bottom-dwellers and its own kind in smaller tanks. Keep just one per tank unless you have a large system or a mated pair.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCover the tank.\u003c\/strong\u003e Sleeper gobies dart and jump when startled, so a tight-fitting lid is essential.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWater.\u003c\/strong\u003e Keep temperature at 72 to 78°F, salinity at 1.020 to 1.025, and pH at 8.1 to 8.4.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;font-size:0.95em;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAmblygobius phalaena\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon Names\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eDragon Sleeper Goby, Banded Sleeper Goby, Bullet Goby, Sphinx Goby\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCare Level\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eIntermediate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAdult Size\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e4 to 5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTemperament\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003ePeaceful, territorial toward similar gobies\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum Tank Size\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e30 gallons\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTemperature\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e72 to 78°F\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSalinity\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e1.020 to 1.025\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003epH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e8.1 to 8.4\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiet\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eCarnivore, sand-sifter\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReef Safe\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eYes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eIndo-Pacific\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eIn-store pickup only\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eCompatibility\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReef-safe and peaceful with most fish. It will not pick at corals or ornamental shrimp.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKeep only one sleeper goby per tank unless you have a mated pair or a very large system, as two unpaired gobies usually fight.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWatch for squabbles with other bottom-dwellers such as firefish, blennies, and other gobies in smaller tanks.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExcellent alongside snails and hermit crabs as part of a natural sand-bed cleanup crew.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eRecommended Foods \u0026amp; Supplies\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/sfbb-freeze-dried-mysis-shrimp\"\u003eSFBB Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp\u003c\/a\u003e as a protein-rich staple\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/reef-nutrition-tigger-feast-live-tigriopus-copepods\"\u003eReef Nutrition Tigger Feast\u003c\/a\u003e live copepods to seed the sand bed it grazes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePair it with other peaceful gobies like our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/green-mandarin-goby-synchiropus-splendidus-saltwater\"\u003eGreen Mandarin Goby\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/zebra-bar-goby-ptereleotris-zebra-saltwater\"\u003eZebra Bar Goby\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse the rest of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/collections\/salt-water\"\u003esaltwater livestock\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it really clean my sand?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. It constantly sifts the top layer of sand through its gills, removing detritus and leftover food and helping keep cyanobacteria in check.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it starve?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt can if the tank lacks a mature sand bed or is not fed enough. Provide an established sand bed and feed several small meaty meals a day, and watch for a sunken belly as a warning sign.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it reef safe?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. It ignores corals and ornamental shrimp. It may shuffle sand around the base of your rockwork, so make sure your rocks sit on the bottom glass and are stable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I keep two?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOnly as a mated pair or in a large tank. Two unpaired sleeper gobies will usually fight over territory.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Squeaky's Aquatics","offers":[{"title":"X-Large","offer_id":48855543840987,"sku":"SW3-SW1945","price":69.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0767\/5209\/3403\/files\/image_7f69c757-3590-47d0-bb27-9a2608ee9c08.png?v=1781010074","url":"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/dragon-sleeper-goby-amblygobius-phalaena-saltwater","provider":"Squeaky's Aquatics","version":"1.0","type":"link"}