FishBeginner care55g minimum
Engineer goby reef compatibility check
Pholidichthys leucotaenia
Hardy tunnel-digger that reshapes your sand bed.
Minimum tank
55 gallons
Care level
Beginner
Reef safety
Safe
Bioload score
2
Stocking stage
Middle
Flow need
Varied
Light need
None
Compatibility warnings
- Digs tunnels; set rockwork on the bare glass so it cannot undermine it.
- Grows to a foot; juveniles look like a different fish.
- Check adult size against the final tank, not the fish or coral at purchase size.
- Add livestock slowly so the bioload and nutrient export can keep up.
- Use the planner when this animal changes the tank-size, flow, lighting, or stocking plan.
Professional planning context
- Use the 55 gallon minimum as an adult-planning floor; display length, aquascape, and existing tankmates can raise that floor.
- This can be planned early after cycling, but only after quarantine/acclimation logistics and stocking order are settled.
- Professionals should model aggression by territory and introduction order, not only by care level.
Tank fit and maturity gate
Tank minimum
55 gallons
ReefCrafter uses 55 gallons as the planning floor for adult size, swimming room, nutrient load, and aggression margin.
Maturity gate
No special delay
This species can be planned early when the tank is cycled and the rest of the stocking list is compatible.
Care notes
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Reef safety
- Safe
- Adult size
- 12 in
- Placement
- Tunnels under rock that sits on the glass, not the sand.
- Diet
- Frozen meaty foods.
- Flow
- Varied
- Light
- None
- Bioload
- 2