Gobiodon Okinawae – Yellow Clown Goby

The Yellow Clown Goby is a cheerful addition to any marine aquarium. In addition to its vibrant body color, the active and peaceful Yellow Clown Goby is often seen perched on live rock or coral right out in the open or hovering in the water column in plain view for hobbyists to enjoy. Though the adult size is a mere 1-1/2″ in length, the stocky shape and very large head gives the Yellow Clown Goby a quiet, yet commanding presence in the home aquarium.

Native to the reefs of the Indo-Pacific, Gobiodon okinawae usually congregates among soft and hard coral colonies. Since the Yellow Clown Goby is peaceful, it makes a wonderful addition to any reef aquarium containing colonies of polyp corals. Here, this member of the Gobiidae family will swim and perch amongst the polyps. Care needs to be taken, however, with SPS corals since the Yellow Clown Goby may nip at the smaller polyps.

For the best care, house single specimens in a 10 gallon or larger aquarium, preferably with branching coral to best recreate the natural habitat of the Yellow Clown Goby. It will rarely demonstrate aggression towards other fish, but will fight with its own kind especially in smaller aquarium systems. Therefore, it is best to keep the Yellow Clown Goby with other docile species.

It is common for the Yellow Clown Goby to spawn in an aquarium. Caution should be exercised if the aquarium contains Acropora sp. or similar SPS corals. The female Yellow Clown Goby will lay her eggs on the underside of the coral’s branch, which will cause tissue recession in that area of the coral. However, under good conditions, the coral will regenerate the lost tissue.

The Yellow Clown Goby’s diet should consist of a variety of brine shrimp, frozen mysis shrimp, table shrimp, and frozen food preparations for carnivores.