Poison Goby is a small fish found in the Indian Ocean, from the Red Sea and Africa’s coast to Japan, Samoa, and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
It lives in coral reefs at depths of 6.6 to 65.6 feet, usually close to Acropora corals.
Poison Gobies produce toxic mucus. However, they are popular in the aquarium hobby and have been bred in captivity.
Their body color can be dark brown or pale yellow with blue vertical lines around their eyes and gills.
These fish live alone or in pairs and feed on small invertebrates and zooplankton.
Although mostly safe for reef aquariums, Poison Gobies can harm unhealthy Acropora corals by laying eggs within the coral tissue.
Poison Goby Interesting Facts
- Poison Goby produces toxic mucus and has a unique color pattern with blue lines around its eyes and gills.
- This fish thrives in tropical waters between latitudes of 30°N to 30°S, living close to Acropora corals.
- Popular in aquariums, they are mostly safe for reef environments but can harm unhealthy corals by laying eggs within the tissue.
Poison Goby Habitat
Poison Goby is found in the Indo-West Pacific region. Its habitat range stretches from the Red Sea to Delagoa Bay in Mozambique, Samoa, southern Japan, and even the Great Barrier Reef.
This fish prefers to live in marine environments near reefs at depths of 0 to 20 meters (usually 2 to 20 meters).
It thrives in tropical waters with temperatures between 72°F to 81°F (22°C to 27°C), typically located between latitudes of 30°N to 30°S.
| Water Temperature: | 72°F to 81°F (22°C to 27°C) |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Poison Goby Physical Characteristics
Size: 2.6 inches (6.6 centimeters)
Poison Goby is a small fish with a maximum length of 2.6 inches (6.6 centimeters). Its body color can be yellow, yellowish-green, or black.
This fish has two blue bars through its eyes and another pair on the back of its head.
There’s also a blue stripe at the base of its dorsal fin and a small dark spot near the top of its pectoral fins. It also has 7 dorsal spines, 9 to 11 dorsal soft rays, 1 anal spine, and 9 anal soft rays.
Poison Goby Reproduction
Poison Goby lays eggs (oviparous) and spawns close to the bottom of the ocean floor (demersal spawner).
Poison Goby Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gobiiformes |
| Family: | Gobiidae |
| Genus: | Gobiodon |
| Scientific Name: | Gobiodon citrinus |
| Also Known As: | Poison Goby |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |