Gold Desert Goby

The Gold Desert Goby (Chlamydogobius eremius “Gold”) is a fascinating goby that is native to Central and South Australia, where it inhabits wells, springs, and other mostly landlocked bodies of waters. It lives in areas that experience both extreme heat and cold and is much more adaptable to temperature swings than most fish. It also can live in wildly variable salinity levels, and it lives and breeds very comfortably in full freshwater. In addition to its exceptional adaptability, it is also a very attractive fish that can display gold, green, black, white, and blue coloration. Males are generally larger and more colorful than females, and they also have the ability to change color, especially when in spawning condition.

The Gold Desert Goby is a particularly hardy species, but it must be kept in water with a pH of 7.0 or higher. It should not be kept in soft water. This fish is very social and typically forms a hierarchy, so ample cover should be provided so that subdominant specimens are not bullied. Dwarf shrimp are likely to be eaten by this fish, but any peaceful invertebrates too large to be considered prey can make good tankmates as well. Peaceful bottom-dwelling fish are best avoided, at least in smaller aquaria, but peaceful fish that inhabit other areas of the aquarium can make good tankmates (again, as long as they are too large to be considered prey).

The Gold Desert Goby is an omnivore and is not a picky eater. It will thrive on a diet of high-quality live, frozen and dry foods. It should also have a fair amount of vegetable matter in its diet. It is a very greedy eater, so care should be taken not to overfeed.