Engineer goby

Care at a glance

The engineer goby owes its name to its urge to build: it digs an extensive system of tunnels beneath the rock, shifting an astonishing amount of sand in the process. Juveniles are black with a white lengthwise stripe and swim in small groups; adults grow long, yellow-and-black banded and eel-like.

Make sure your rockwork rests on the bottom pane and not on the sand, or it will literally undermine your whole aquascape. It is peaceful but eats small crustaceans and shrimp; keep it in a small group and cover the tank.

Good to know

• Digger — needs fine sand
• Active at night
• Outgrows most home tanks

Related species

• Cinnamon clownfishAmphiprion melanopus
• Threadfin butterflyfishChaetodon auriga
• Court jester gobyKoumansetta rainfordi
• Humbug damselfishDascyllus aruanus
• Helfrichi firefishNemateleotris helfrichi
• Twinspot gobySignigobius biocellatus