Pallid sandgoby

Fusigobius pallidus, the pallid sandgoby, is a small, ground-dwelling goby from the Indo-Pacific, where it rests on open sand and rubble patches at the base of reefs and in lagoons. Reaching about 8 cm, it has a translucent, pale body marked with faint spots, and spends much of its time perched on the substrate or sifting mouthfuls of sand for small invertebrates. It is a peaceful, reef-safe fish suited to a mature marine aquarium of at least 75 litres with a deep, fine sand bed and plenty of live rock providing microfauna to graze. Maintain steady reef parameters: 24 to 27 degrees, pH 8.1 to 8.4, salinity 33 to 35 ppt and carbonate hardness 8 to 12. Offer frequent small meals of mysis, enriched brine shrimp and other meaty foods, as sand-sifters can struggle to gain enough weight in sparse systems.