HiFin Banded Goby (Stonogobiops nematodes)

The HiFin Banded Goby (Stonogobiops nematodes), also called the Hi-Fin Red Banded or Filament-finned Prawn Goby, is a tiny, charismatic shrimp goby that hovers just above its burrow with a towering, black-tipped dorsal fin held high. Its pearly white body is wrapped in diagonal red-brown bands and finished with a sunny yellow face. Peaceful, hardy, and reef-safe, it is a fantastic nano-reef fish, and it becomes truly special when paired with a pistol shrimp.

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Care Guide

This little goby is easy to keep with a sand bed to burrow in and a lid to keep it safe.

• Keep a lid on it. Like all shrimp gobies and dartfish, it will jump when startled. A tight-fitting lid or mesh top is essential.
• Deep sand bed. Provide at least a couple of inches of sand plus some rubble or rock in a 10 gallon or larger tank. The goby and its shrimp partner dig and maintain a burrow in the sand, so a fine-to-medium sand bed is important.
• Pair it with a pistol shrimp. In the wild this goby shares a burrow with an Alpheus pistol shrimp in a classic symbiosis: the near-blind shrimp digs and keeps house while the sharp-eyed goby stands guard and flicks its tail to warn of danger. The pairing is not required, but it is one of the most rewarding behaviors in the hobby.
• Temperament. Peaceful and a little shy. Keep one, a mated pair, or a small group in a larger tank. It will not bother tankmates.
• Diet. Carnivore. Feed small meaty foods a few times a day: mysis, frozen brine shrimp, copepods, and a quality small marine pellet. It feeds in the water column close to its burrow.
• Water. Keep a stable reef at 72 to 78°F, salinity 1.020 to 1.025, and pH 8.1 to 8.4.

Specifications

Compatibility

• Peaceful and reef-safe, perfect for nano and community reef tanks. It will not bother corals or invertebrates.
• Pairs famously with an Alpheus pistol shrimp to share a burrow. Add them together and watch the symbiosis unfold.
• Gets along with other calm fish such as firefish, dartfish, and cardinalfish. Avoid aggressive or boisterous tankmates that will outcompete it.
• Keep one, a mated pair, or a small group in a larger tank. A tight-fitting lid is a must, since it jumps.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• SFBB Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp as a protein-rich staple
• Nutramar Tigrio Live Copepods to tempt shy or newly added fish
• Reef Nutrition Tigger Feast for extra zooplankton in the water column
• Add a burrow partner with our Curly-Que Pistol Shrimp
• Pair it with another peaceful goby like our Exquisite Firefish

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it need a pistol shrimp?
No, it does fine on its own. But pairing it with an Alpheus pistol shrimp brings out its famous guard-and-burrow symbiosis and is one of the most fun behaviors to watch in a reef tank.

Do I really need a lid?
Yes. Like all shrimp gobies and dartfish, it jumps when spooked, so a tight-fitting lid or mesh top is essential.

What kind of substrate does it need?
A sand bed at least a couple of inches deep with some rubble, so it (and its shrimp) can dig and maintain a burrow.

Is it reef safe?
Yes. It ignores corals and ornamental invertebrates and stays close to its burrow on the bottom.