Bumblebee goby

1) Where they come from (quick backstory)

Bumblebee gobies (Brachygobius doriae) come from Southeast Asia—think murky tidal creeks, mangrove edges, and slow estuaries where fresh and salt mix. That “in-between” water is the whole trick with them. They’re not really a straight freshwater fish in the long run, and they’re not a reef fish either.

2) Setting up their tank

Picture a tiny goby that thinks it’s a little perch. They love to sit, watch, and dart. Give them a tank with loads of broken-up sightlines: small caves, shells, rock piles, driftwood, and dense little clumps of plants (hardy brackish-friendly ones) so they can claim spots without constantly seeing each other.

• Tank size: 10–20 gallons works well for a small group; more space makes them way less snippy
• Substrate: sand is my favorite (they hunt and hover close to the bottom)
• Decor: small caves (palm-sized), stacked rocks, small bits of driftwood, empty snail shells
• Filtration: gentle-to-moderate flow; they don’t need a river, but they like clean water
• Lighting: whatever suits your plants—these fish don’t care much

For brackish, I’ve had the best luck keeping them in “light brackish” rather than barely-salty. Mix marine salt (not table salt) and use a hydrometer or refractometer so you’re not guessing. Stability matters more than chasing a magic number.

3) What to feed them

This is the make-or-break part for most people. Bumblebee gobies are picky little predators, and a lot of them ignore flakes and pellets like they’re invisible. Mine did best once I treated them like micro-hunters: small meaty foods, offered close to where they perch.

• Best staples: frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp (better if enriched), daphnia, mysis (if they’ll take it)
• Live foods they go nuts for: baby brine shrimp, grindal worms, microworms, small blackworms (if you can source safely)
• Training foods: tiny sinking carnivore pellets can work, but only after they’re eating well

Small meals beat big ones. I like feeding once daily, sometimes twice for skinny new arrivals, and keeping it very targeted. If they’re hunting and their bellies look gently rounded after meals, you’re on track.

4) Behavior and tankmates

They’re entertaining because they’re bold in a tiny-body way—lots of perching, staring, and short chase-offs. In a group they establish little territories, especially males. If the tank is sparse, that turns into constant bickering. If the tank has tons of hiding spots, it’s more like “my rock, your rock” and everyone relaxes.

• Keep them in groups (5–8 is great if the tank size allows) so one fish doesn’t take all the heat
• More caves than gobies is a good rule of thumb
• They can be feisty with their own kind but usually don’t bother midwater fish that don’t compete for perches

Tankmates: go with other brackish fish that won’t outcompete them at feeding time and won’t view them as snacks. Small peaceful brackish fish can work, but you’ll still need to feed the gobies directly.

5) Breeding tips (fun project if you like a challenge)

They do spawn in aquariums, and you’ll usually see it start with a male claiming a cave and getting extra “busy” about guarding it. The tricky part isn’t getting eggs—it’s raising the tiny larvae, which want very small live foods.

• Give them snug caves: little ceramic caves, small tubes, or rock crevices with one main entrance
• Keep the group well-fed with live/frozen foods—spawning often follows a run of heavy feeding and big water changes
• If you see a male camping a cave and chasing others off, check the ceiling of the cave for eggs

In many cases the male guards the eggs, fanning them. Once you see free-swimming larvae, they can vanish into filters fast—cover intakes with sponge and keep flow gentle if you’re attempting a serious raise.

6) Common problems to watch for

Most “mysterious” bumblebee goby losses come down to one of three things: wrong water (kept freshwater long-term), not eating enough, or getting outcompeted and slowly starving.

• Slow starvation: they look active but get thinner—target feed and switch to meaty frozen/live foods
• Freshwater decline: recurring stress, poor appetite, susceptibility to disease—move them to stable brackish with marine salt
• Bullying in small/sparse tanks: torn fins, hiding constantly—add more cover and keep a larger group or separate the aggressor
• White spot/parasites after purchase: common with wild-caught fish—quarantine if you can and keep water clean and steady