Bumblebee Goby

Looks how to spot one

Small scaled goby

A tiny, stocky goby with a rounded head and bold alternating bands of black and golden yellow, just like a bumblebee. Males can show reddish tones when breeding, and females look rounder when carrying eggs.13

Personality what they are like

A lively little bottom dweller with plenty of character. Males claim small territories and spar with each other, which is part of their charm when kept in a group.1

Daily activity how busy a day looks

A bottom dweller that spends its time around rocks, wood and caves rather than in open water, and appreciates gentle water flow.1

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Seriously Fish gives 22 to 28 C, pH 7.0 to 8.5 and 8 to 20 dGH; FishBase lists 22 to 29 C, pH around 8.0 and 9 to 19 dH. It tolerates light brackish water (about 2 g of marine salt per litre). Gentle filtration, such as an air-driven sponge filter, suits it best.12

Home where they are happiest

Seriously Fish suggests a tank with a base of at least 45 x 30 cm (around 41 litres), ideally set up just for this species, with lots of rocks, caves and wood to create territories.1

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A micro-predator. Small live foods such as brine shrimp and daphnia are the staple, and many fish learn to take frozen alternatives.1

Company who they like around

Best kept in a group of six or more so that sparring between males is spread out, ideally in a species tank.1

The story where it all began

Albert Günther described the bumblebee goby in 1868. It is named after the Italian zoologist Giacomo Doria, who collected fish in Borneo and sent the type specimen to the Natural History Museum in London. In the aquarium trade it is often mixed up with close relatives such as Brachygobius xanthozonus and B. nunus.31

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Least Concern (assessed 2018)2