Priolepis hipoliti

(Metzelaar, 1922)

Rusty Goby

Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Southern Florida, Bahamas to northern South America.

Size: 2 inches (4 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow coral reefs and often seen under ledges or in caves and usually found at depths between 3 to 400 feet (1 – 120 m) where it feeds on tiny benthic invertebrates and zooplankton.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade having a orange-tan body with numerous bluish grey vertical bands.

Can be maintained in small/nano reef or fish-only aquariums having various rocky crevices to hide, as those in this genus are quite secretive, until food inters the aquarium.

Should not be housed with aggressive fishes such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfishes or aggressive angelfishes.

Requires a meaty diet, i.e., enriched brine shrimp, mysis, finely chopped fish or shrimp flesh, and other various frozen carnivore foods, with two feedings per day.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Gobioidei

Family: Gobiidae

Genus: Priolepis

FYI: One per aquarium.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5