Alternative species (click on the thumbnail to see the card)
Names
Scientific name
Amblygobius rainfordi
Koumansetta rainfordi
Common name
Court Jester goby
Old glory
Origin
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Natural habitat: along reef areas, up to 30 m / 100 feet deep
Dimorphism
Very difficult. The shape of the genital straw is slightly different between males and females.
Group
Gobiidae
Volume
150 L / 33 Imp Gal / 40 US Gal
Parameters
T°: 24 to 27°C or 75 to 81°F
pH: 8 to 8.4
Density: 1021 to 1026
Difficulty
Average
Size
6 to 8cm (2.4 to 3.2")
Longevity
6 to 8 years
Living zone
Depth
Individuals
1 or couple
Food
Food
How to feed the Court Jester goby?
It is an omnivorous and scavenging species. Some specimens are quite difficult to feed because they refuse frozen or dry food. It will then be necessary to offer them only live food!
It is a sand filter: it takes a mouthful of sand and "chews" it to extract the filamentous algae, edible waste and small invertebrates that it feeds on. The sand is then discharged through the gill slits. It is therefore a good aid in sediment control, but will never replace the aquarist's maintenance and does not "clean" the sand (in fact, no fish should be acquired for its "usefulness, but for its well-being"!). Encourage the growth of algae in your aquarium.
Offer artemia, small krill, red daphnia, mysis, pieces of mussels or shrimp... You can also use classic freeze-dried seaweed-based foods that you let swell in the water beforehand.
Be particularly generous in your food distributions during the acclimatization phase, when frightened fish sometimes find it difficult to feed.
Behavior
Behavior
What kind of behavior does the Court Jester goby have?
Its main activity is filtering sand. He'll spend quite a bit of time doing that.
This shy fish also spends a lot of time in hiding, but you will still see it quite regularly (provided it feels comfortable in its environment). It alternates phases of intense activity (sometimes staying in place for long periods) with much more lively and fast swimming.
As for its character, it is very territorial, especially with members of its species. It does not tolerate the presence of other gobies in its living area.
Cohabitation
Cohabitation
Who can live with the Court Jester goby?
In the wild, fish live either alone or in pairs. In captivity, it is often recommended that only one Rainford's Goby be kept per aquarium. This is because they are very territorial. The other concern about maintaining in pairs is that it is difficult to obtain a male and a female with certainty. The fish are sold young and are hardly sexable. You then risk ending up with two males or two females, which will fatally lead to the death of one of the two fish within a few weeks.
Beware of the association of other groundfish with similar colours which will suffer the same fate as the congeners (Amblygobius hectori for example). Likewise, avoid fish that are too big, which would give them too much food competition and intimidate them a lot.
Ideal roommates will be fish of similar or smaller size.
Breeding
Breeding
How to breed the Court Jester goby?
Impossible in an aquarium.
Its aquarium
Its aquarium
Which aquarium for the Court Jester goby?
Since it lives at the bottom of the aquarium, this is the area where you should concentrate its needs. The floor must consist of a layer of sand strewn with live rocks. Make a few crevices so that he can hide there (be careful with the stability of the rocks: place them on the glass at the bottom of the aquarium, not on the sand).
It can be introduced in reef aquariums with corals because it does not damage them. It will have to be large enough and offer enough floor space for the Goby to be excavated. In addition, the bigger the aquarium, the more interesting the food stocks for it!
He's an excellent jumper! Remember to cover your tank well and protect the lighting system: you will avoid finding your fish dry outside the aquarium, or completely shiny under the lamps. Note, however, that this behaviour only occurs when your fish feels too cramped in the aquarium. A minimum of 120/150 L 26/33 Imp Gal / 32/40 US Gal is recommended for the maintenance of this species!
Good To know
Good To know
Find all additional information!
When you purchase, do not choose specimens that are unfortunately too thin if you are just starting out, as they can be difficult to "recover" and save from death. For example, ask the seller to feed it to see how it behaves with inert food.
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