[ FISH ]

CLOWNFISH - DOTTYBACKS - GOBIES & BLENNIES - CARDINALFISH - SEAHORSES - OTHERS

GOBIES (Family: Gobidae)

Gobies are small scaleless fish in tropical oceans around the world. They are popular aquarium species, both for small tanks and for reef tanks. They are very easy to care for and eat a wide variety of aquarium foods.

Some of the gobies species cultured at ORA™ are known as cleaner gobies. They actively will pick parasites and other derbis from the body and gills of larger fish. Cleaner gobies will normally establish a cleaning station where other reef fish will gather to be cleaned. This characteristic carries over to aquarium life, and cleaner gobies can prove beneficial to their aquarium community.

BLENNIES (Family: Blenniidae)

Blennies are small, elongated fish with continuous dorsal fins. There are approximately 350 blenny species in the world. With so many species, blennies are found in most of the world's oceans.

In general, blennies reach an average length of 3-5 inches and have scaleless, slender bodies, which they use to gracefully maneuver through rockwork. Most species lack swim bladders or have very small swim bladders, which causes them to be bottom-dwellers. Members of the genus Meiacanthus currently in production at ORA™ are brightly colored fish that live in the water column. They are known as saber-toothed blennies for the large canines on their lower jaws.

Blennies spend most of their time weaving in and out of caves in an aquarium, though they will come out to defend their territory. Most blenny species spend their lives in shallow waters along rocky shorelines. With adequate rockwork and a diet of frozen or dry foods, blennies are an excellent, hardy fish for a reef or fish-only aquarium.

Canary Blenny - Meiacanthus ovalaunensis

The Canary Blenny's striking yellow color makes it an excellent addition to a reef aquarium. This exotic fish is found in the currents of lagoons and reefs off Fiji and Tonga where it feeds on zooplankton.

The Canary Blenny is a natural choice for a reef tank because it mixes well with other fish, the only exception being similarly shaped blennies, and it will not disturb corals. This fish should be kept in a tank of at least 20 gallons with ample places to hide. It may act aggressively toward other fish if provoked but is generally peaceful in a large aquarium. The Canary Blenny reaches a maximum size of 4"-5" (10 - 12 cm).

OTHER BLENNY SPECIES

ORA™ has bred a number of other blenny species, they are available from time to time in limited quantities. Species successfully bred at ORA™ include:

Black Line Fang Blenny - Meiacanthus nigrolineatus

Neon Goby - Elacatinus oceanops

Neon gobies are from Florida and the Caribbean Sea, and are one of the most easily recognized and popular saltwater aquarium fish. It is well documented that this fish is a cleaner species that picks parasites and other debris from the mouth, gills and skin of larger fish. They are small, reaching about 2 inches in length, and are black with two neon blue stripes along the back and a white belly.

Neon gobies are not difficult to keep in aquariums, and are especially well suited to reef tanks. They will eat small bits of frozen and dry aquarium foods although in nature they are almost exclusively parasite pickers. Normally, they are not bothered by larger fish because they are recognized as cleaners. They can fall victim to mantis shrimp, pistol shrimp and other ambush feeders sometimes present in the live rock of reef tanks.

Spawning of this species is well documented, and pairing and spawning are often observed in aquaria. This species can lay 500-800 eggs every 10 days, hatching in about 8-9 days. They spend about 25-28 days as larva until metamorphosis.

Yellow-line Goby - Elacatinus figaro (randalli)

The Yellow-line goby is very similar species to the Neon Goby, except that it has yellow lines rather than the blue lines of the Neon Goby.

They are another cleaner goby, which are always beneficial in aquariums. They also will eat small bits of frozen and dry aquarium foods and are generally not bothered by larger fish because they are recognized as cleaners.

The Yellow-line cleaner goby is a species native to Brazil.

Hybrid Cleaner Goby - Elacatinus oceanops x Elacatinus figaro

The hybridization of two goby species represents a real breakthrough in the breeding of saltwater aquarium species. This cross of the Caribbean Neon Goby (E. oceanops) and the Brazilian Yellowline Goby (E. figaro) is a first for captive raised marine fish other than clownfish.

The results of this effort have yielded a hybrid goby that combines the blue of the Neon and the yellow of the Yellow-line. Some are a greenish blue color while others are showing a yellow lined head and a blue lined body. Further breeding efforts at ORA™ may produce a true breeding color morph of these two species.

OTHER GOBY SPECIES

ORA™ has bred a number of other goby species in the last few years. They are available from time to time in limited quantities. Species successfully bred at ORA™ include:

Gold-stripe Goby - Gobiosoma horstii + Gobiosoma lousiae
Red Head Goby - Gobiosoma punticulatus
Greenbanded Goby - Gobiosoma multifasciatum
Citron Goby - Gobiodon citrinus
Yellow Clown Goby - Gobiodon okinawae