Madagascar Spotted Croucher Goby (Caracanthus madagascariensis)

Quick Stats
Care Level: Easy | Temperament: Peaceful | Color Form: Red, White | Diet: Carnivore | Water Conditions: sg 1.020-1.025, 72-78? F, KH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 | Max. Size: 2″ | Venomous: Yes | Family: Caracanthidae | Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons | Compatibility: View Chart

Overview
Did you know that this specimen ships from our Affordabalequaria? Wisconsin Facility, home of our popular Diver’s Den? WYSIWYG Store and our Affordabalequaria? Certified Captive Grown Corals (CCGC)? What that means is that you can rest assured knowing this specimen received the highest level of care from our experienced and professional Affordabalequaria? staff!

PLUS, hobbyists that use our Affordabalequaria? Professional Reef Salt have the added benefit knowing marine species shipped from our Affordabalequaria? Wisconsin Facility share the same water parameters. In other words, if you use our Professional Reef Salt, marine species shipped from our Wisconsin Facility will acclimate and transition to your home aquarium with less stress to set the foundation for longer term success.

The Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby is an ornate bottom-dwelling fish sporting lovely pink/red coloration and speckled markings. It is a fascinating fish often found in and about both hard and soft corals. With numerous and descriptive common names such as Gumdrop Coral Croucher, Velvetfish, and Velvet Goby, it is not too difficult to surmise the general appearance and behavior of this fish. The Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby possesses a compact, gumdrop-like body that is vertically compressed, allowing it to navigate tight spaces between reef rubble and coral branches. Its entire body is covered with fine “hairs” that give it a fuzzy or velvet-like appearance.
The Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby may be small in stature but is big on personality. Initially cryptic and retreating in nature the Madagascar Coral Croucher goby will eventually come out more frequently, inquisitively observing the activity of tank mates as well as its human caretaker! Though the Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby may resemble a goby, it is actually a member of the scorpionfish family. Accordingly, the Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby is venomous, possessing defensive spines on its dorsal fins. If you are “stung”, the reaction may be similar to a bee sting only a little stronger. Similar to other members of the scorpionfish family, the Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby has specialized pectoral fins, which it uses to supplement locomotion.

The Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby does best when housed in an established aquarium of at least 10 gallons in size, aquascaped with a generous amount of live rock, rubble and preferably branching corals or similar decorations. It will rarely demonstrate aggression towards other fish but is known to squabble with its own kind in smaller aquariums. Therefore, it is best to keep the Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby singly, as a mated/bonded pair, or with other docile species.

It is not uncommon for the Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby to spawn in the home aquarium. Caution should be exercised if your aquarium contains Acropora or similar SPS corals as the Madagascar Coral Croucher will lay eggs on the underside of coral branches, causing tissue recession in that area of the coral. However, under good conditions, the coral will regenerate the patch of lost tissue.

The diet of the Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby should consist of a variety of brine shrimp, frozen mysis shrimp, chopped table shrimp, and frozen food preparations for carnivores. If housed in a reef aquarium with live branching corals, the Madagascar Coral Croucher Goby needs to be target fed once a day with a syringe or feeding tool. If housed in an aquarium without substrate, it will require several feedings per day.

Approximate Purchase Size: 3/4″ to 2″.