Dragon/violet goby

The dragon goby, or violet goby, is an eel-like fish of the family Gobiidae, native to brackish coastal waters and estuaries of the western Atlantic, from the southern United States to Brazil. It has a long, slender, violet-grey body, a blunt head with small eyes, and a fearsome-looking toothy mouth. Despite its intimidating appearance, it is a peaceful, shy, and poor-sighted fish that spends much of its time sifting substrate. It is best kept singly or in a group with calm tankmates that will not outcompete it for food. It requires brackish water and a soft sand substrate it can sift, along with hiding places such as pipes or caves. It is an omnivore and filter-feeder, scooping up mouthfuls of sand to extract algae, biofilm, and tiny invertebrates; it needs sinking foods and patient feeding. Its brackish requirement is often overlooked by buyers.