R.A.S. Fins & Friends
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R.A.S. Fins & Friends |
| Peacock Goby or Tateurndina ocellicauda |
These fish will always be one of the highlights of all that I've gotten to spawn. They
are beautiful, small, peaceful, unusual, and unfortunately, never seen in Regina. I was so
very fortunate to receive a beautiful pair from a friend in Calgary who knew I'd be
thrilled to have them.
These little gobies come from New Guinea where they inhabit the freshwater lowland rivers
and ponds of east Papua. They are members of the eleotridae family which includes some
other small pretty gobies but also some very large monsters like the Oxyeleotris
marmoratus which grows to 20 inches and is rather homely.
The peacock goby grows to a maximum of three inches and likes soft, clean quiet waters. It
does very well in a well planted, peaceful community tank. It does best at 72-79 degrees
F. Literature suggests they require a pH of 7.0 and a hardness of 8 degrees. Mine did well
in regular dechlorinated Regina water-no adjustments at all.
They are difficult to describe. Perhaps the best is to direct the reader to either page
201 of An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aquarium Fish by Gina Sandford or page 1074 of
Baensch Aquarium Atlas, Volume 2. They are a soft blue and yellow with vertical red bands
which extend into their fins. The female is usually smaller, slightly less colorful, and
when ready to spawn, becomes rather rotund in the belly.
I placed the pair in a ten gallon long tank. It was dimly lit and tightly covered with a
glass lid. I used a small sponge filter. Initially, the tank had 1/4-1/2 inch pebbles on
the bottom. I propped a clean broken piece of a clay plant pot up against the glass side
so I could tell if they had spawned etc. The activity started within a week of their
arrival! I few them crushed flakes, live brine shrimp nauplii and grindal worms. The
female became plumper and soon the male was trying to coax her into the 'cave'. Once they
were both in the cave, he fluttered beside her for about a day. The following morning, the
female was out of the cave, unhurt but significantly slimmer. Inside, the male was
guarding a patch of eggs which were suspended to the clay pot by minute threads. The eggs
swayed gently with the current from his fins. They were tiny clear, peach colored eggs. As
the eggs developed, they darkened. Literature suggests they hatch in 4-6 days but mine
took 7-8 days. I removed the piece of clay pot to a container on about day 4 and provided
gentle aeration with an air stone. The male didn't appear too upset that the eggs were
gone. I continued feeding the parent fish well and they spawned on a small piece of slate
propped up against the glass about a week later.
Once the eggs hatch, they hang around the bottom for a few days and then get up and swim
about. They resemble new rainbow fry at this point. Because they looked so small, I few
them microfood initially and after a few days, very small brine shrimp nauplii. I did 90%
water changes daily and replaced the water very gently. I was surprised that I has only
about 2 fry die in the first few weeks, and none since.
The first spawn is just over sixty days now and are getting close to 1 inch long. They
don't have their stripes yet but one can see their characteristic fins. I continued to
aerate with just an airstone and maintain the daily water changes. Soon however, they will
need a bigger home.
Baensch writes "Tateurndina ocellicauda is one of the smallest sleeper gobies and
truly one of the most beautiful. It has been a pleasure to keep and have the beauties
spawn.