Home / Fishes / Gobies and sleepers / Rainbow Stiphodon
No federal permit to keepRainbow Stiphodon
Stiphodon ornatus
Fishes › Gobies and sleepers (Gobiiformes) › Gobiidae (Gobies)
Care follows the gobies guide below.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.1 in / 5.25 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 31 × 12 in (roughly 19 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 68–82 °F, pH 6.5–7.5, 2–12 dGH.
- Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “These gobies aren't too difficult to keep provided some basic requirements are met.”
- Breeding: “Observations of courtship behaviour and the occasional spawning exist but to date no-one has managed to raise fry of any Stiphodon spp.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Gobies
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: The listed gobies span marine sand burrows and rocky coasts as well as freshwater streams, where Stiphodon grazes biofilm in clear, oxygen-rich water. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For Valenciennea puellaris, provide at least 30 US gallons, live sand and a populated attached refugium.
- For Stiphodon ornatus, provide a base at least 80 × 30 cm (about 31 × 12 inches).
- Provide mature, illuminated, algae-covered rocks and strong oxygenation for Stiphodon.
- Seat Stiphodon rocks directly on the tank base, break sight lines with refuges and fit a tight cover.
- V. puellaris is sourced at specific gravity 1.020–1.025 and pH 8.1–8.4; adult Stiphodon require freshwater, pH 6.5–7.5 and 2–12 dGH.
Diet
- For Valenciennea: live or frozen mysis and brine shrimp, fed frequently.
- For Valenciennea: live blackworms and prepared carnivore foods.
- For Stiphodon: mature algal biofilm and associated microorganisms.
Social life
- Valenciennea puellaris fights conspecifics unless they are a mated pair. Separate Stiphodon male territories with rockwork; one social arrangement cannot represent this family.
Health watch
- Ammonia toxicity.
- Nutritional deficiencies.
Understanding the animal
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 31 × 12 in (about 19 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish — Stiphodon ornatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- LiveAquaria — Diamond Watchman Goby Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Tropical Fish Hobbyist — Gobies in My Aquarium Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
More gobies
Bumblebee fish
Brachygobius xanthozona
Aquarium hobby
Freshwater Bumblebee Goby
Brachygobius xanthomelas
Aquarium hobby
Stigmatogobius sadanundio
Stigmatogobius sadanundio
Aquarium hobby
Orange-fin Stiphodon
Stiphodon maculidorsalis
Aquarium hobby
Stiphodon semoni
Stiphodon semoni
Aquarium hobby