Fire Goby, also known as Magnificent Fire Fish, Fire Dartfish, or Red Fire Goby, is a type of dartfish that lives in coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific oceans.
It stays near the top of outer reef slopes and swims above the ocean floor. Fire Gobies face the water current to eat small animals like zooplankton, copepods, and baby crustaceans.
These fish often share their hiding spots with others, especially young ones.
They have a unique behavior where they move their first dorsal fin back and forth like a flag.
Fire Gobies live at various depths and are safe for coral reefs.
Fire Goby Interesting Facts
- Fire Goby inhabit coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific oceans, preferring water temperatures between 72°F to 82°F (22°C to 28°C).
- They feed on small aquatic animals such as zooplankton, copepods, and baby crustaceans by facing water currents.
- Recognizable by their long first dorsal fin, Fire Gobies also exhibit unique flag-like fin movements.
- Monogamous mating behavior is observed in both obligatory and social forms.
Fire Goby Habitat
Fire Goby is found in the Indo-Pacific region from East Africa to Hawaii and other islands.
It lives in reefs at depths of 6 to 70 meters (20 to 230 feet), but it’s typically found at 6 to 28 meters (20 to 92 feet).
This tropical fish prefers water temperatures between 72°F to 82°F (22°C to 28°C) and exists within a geographical range of 31°N to 28°S latitude and 32°E to 128°W longitude.
| Water Temperature: | 72°F to 82°F (22°C to 28°C) |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Fire Goby Physical Characteristics
Size: 3.5 inches (9.0 centimeters)
Fire Goby is a colorful fish with a maximum length of 3.5 inches (9.0 centimeters). It has 7 dorsal spines, 28 to 32 dorsal soft rays, 1 anal spine, and 27 to 30 anal soft rays.
Its front body is pale grey or white, while its snout is yellow. The back part of the body is red, and it has a pale yellow fin on top.
This fish can be recognized by its unique features like its long first dorsal fin that extends beyond one-third of the second dorsal fin.
It also has 110 to 130 scales in a row along its body and more than 12 ctenii (comb-like structures) on the back body scales.
The depth of this fish’s body compared to its length (SL) ranges between 4.4 to 4.9 times smaller.
Fire Goby Reproduction
Fire Gobies have unique mating behavior. They are monogamous, meaning they have only one mate at a time.
This is seen in two forms: obligatory and social.
Fire Goby Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gobiiformes |
| Family: | Gobiidae |
| Genus: | Nemateleotris |
| Scientific Name: | Nemateleotris magnifica |
| Also Known As: | Fire Goby, Magnificent Fire Fish, Fire Dartfish, Red Fire Goby |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |