Sharknose Goby (Elacatinus evelynae)
The Sharknose Goby (Elacatinus evelynae) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Caribbean Cleaner Goby or Caribbean Cleaning Goby is native to Western Atlantic waters from the Bahamas and the Lesser Antilles, to the northern coast of South America, as well as the Antilles and western Caribbean.
The Sharknose Goby is a peaceful cleaner fish species that is usually encountered in pairs in the crystal clear clean water coral reefs of their range, among coral heads at depths from 3 feet to over 173 feet.
Because Elacatinus evelynae are not strong swimmers, they need textured surfaces like those on Brain Coral (Colpophyllia natans) heads, large polyps like the Great Star Coral (Montastraea), Mustard Hill Coral (Porites astreoides), and Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) to maintain a general position on their “cleaning stations” and endure the strong Ocean currents, tides, and swells found in their habitat.
It is crucial for the Sharknose Goby to maintain a visible position in the current so the fish that they clean ectoparasites from can easily find them.
Sharknose Goby (Elacatinus evelynae)
Similar to the Neon Goby (Elacatinus oceanops), the Sharknose Goby (Elacatinus evelynae) has a thin, elongated body shape with two brilliant neon blue horizontal stripes and three black horizontal stripes on the body that run to the end of the caudal fin, white to silver underneath the lower black stripes, and light pink hues around and under the gills. Above the black horizontal stripes, a bright yellow stripe on top of and in front of each eye joins to form a V at the snout. The split dorsal, rounded pectoral, anterior, and outer edge of the caudal fin are all transparent.
A single or mated pair of Sharknose Gobies can be housed in a well established community or reef tank of at least 10 gallon capacity with a sandy or fine coralline gravel substrate and plenty of aged live rock arranged into caves, crevices, and overhangs for them to hide among. Excellent filtration, protein skimming and regular water changes are important to remove nitrates from the tank.
The Sharknose Goby is a peaceful species that feeds on ectoparasites that can harm other fish housed in the aquarium. They are a natural cleaner fish that seldom become aggressive with other fish, however, they are territorial and will become assertive towards their own kind unless they are a mated pair. Elacatinus evelynae is completely reef safe and will not harm other peaceful fish, corals, or invertebrates.
Although a single Sharknose Goby can be easily housed in a 10 gallon aquarium; a tank of at least 30 gallon capacity generously decorated with mature live rock is recommended to keep mated pairs and small groups of 6 to 8 individuals.
The Caribbean Cleaning Goby has been bred in an aquarium environment, however, they do not produce eggs unless conditions are optimal.
The Sharknose Goby is a monogamous species that is usually found in pairs among coral heads.
Mated pairs aggressively protect their territory and each other from potential suitors. The males guard the eggs and chase away potential suitors while the females chase away potential female partners.
Under optimal conditions in an aquarium environment with little to no fluctuations in salinity or temperature, the female will lay 500 to 800 eggs in a small cave or crevice every 10 days or so. The male protects and aerates the eggs until they hatch into tiny larvae which takes six to nine days at temperatures between 75 to 81 degrees F. During this period, both parents aggressively defend the nest and eggs from intrusions. After the larvae hatch out, the tiny larvae are usually eaten by other fish or sucked into the filter before they ever make it into adulthood.
Many successful breeders transfer the eggs or larvae into a well oxygenated 20 gallon tank and perform regular water changes as the larvae grow out. The larvae can be fed tiny copepods or rotifers during the grow out period and will spend about 25 to 28 days as larvae until metamorphosis into identifiable Sharknose Gobies.
In their natural environment, the Sharknose Goby is a cleaner fish that feeds on ectoparasites and dead skin found on other fish species as well as sponges, coral polyps, sea squirts, zooplankton, and free living copepods.
In an aquarium environment they do well on a carnivore diet with small bits of meaty foods such as shrimp, fish, worms, and copepods found in the sand. They will accept frozen carnivore foods, live brine shrimp and occasionally carnivore flakes or pellets as a supplement. Feeding several times a day is recommended in a community aquarium. If kept in a reef aquarium, the Sharknose Goby should only be fed once per day.
The Sharknose Goby (Elacatinus evelynae) is readily available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts mostly as captive bred specimens from a variety of of online retailers at a purchase size of 1″ to 2″ at current prices around $ 26.99.
Sharknose Goby (Elacatinus evelynae)
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallon
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 75-82° F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1–8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
Max size: 2″
Color Form: Blue, Black, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Reef Safe
Origin: West Atlantic, Antilles and western Caribbean
Family: Gobiidae
Lifespan: 5 – 10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate
