The Bella Goby, Valenciennea bella, is an attractive species of Sleeper Goby. Similar in shape and size to a Golden Head Sleeper Goby, the Bella Goby displays color variations of Maroon, Red and Orange. Its head is yellow-gold with sapphire-blue stripes below the eyes, while the chin and belly are off-white. Adult Bella Gobies will develop black patches under their chins. Bella Gobies are found from the reefs and sandy bottoms of Japan to the Philippines. These hardy fish are usually found singly or in pairs.

Bella Gobies are sand sifting fishes and should be housed in a 30 gallon or larger aquarium with a thick sandy substrate and adequate rockwork structure so they are able to construct a borrow for protection. They will also benefit from a mature refugium populated with copepods and/or amphipods. Bella Gobies are considered jumpers so be sure your aquarium has a tight-fitting canopy or screen cover.

Bella Gobies feed from the bottom of the aquarium by sifting through the sand gulping up mouthfuls of substrate. The food that lives within the sand such as small worms and crustaceans is filtered out and consumed. The Goby’s frequent sifting keeps the substrate clean and well oxygenated. Bella Gobies should be offered a variety of frozen/thawed foods such as enriched brine shrimp, enriched mysis shrimp, and prepared pellet and dry foods for marine carnivores.