Stonogobiops
From Microcosm Aquarium Explorer
Stonogobiops nematodes, Blackray Shrimp Goby. Scott W. Michael
Family: Gobiidae
Species in Genus Stonogobiops:
LONGRAY SHRIMP GOBIES
The members of the genus Stonogobiops are some of the most attractive gobies available to marine aquarists and are a wonderful choice for the reef aquarium, even the nano-reef.
Unlike the other shrimp gobies, which spend most of their time resting on the substrate, most of the longray (or highfin) shrimp gobies scull in the water column from 0.4 to 14 in. (1 to 36 cm) above their burrow entrances. Most of them associate with Randall’s Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus randalli).
These fishes do not require much space (I have kept them in tanks as small as 5 gallons [19 L].) and are easier to observe in a less spacious aquarium. (As with many smaller fishes, they tend to disappear in large reef systems.)
This goby is more likely to acclimate if kept without potentially bothersome fish tankmates, although in a tank without dither fish, it may take the Stonogobiops a little longer to overcome its initial shyness. Once it does, it will repay the sense of security and lack of competition with more aggressive feeders by staying out in the open where you can watch its behaviors.
| Family | Gobiidae + |
| Image credit | SWM + |
| Reference | A PocketExpert Guide to Reef Aquarium Fishes + |
| Text credit | SWM + |