Sixspot Sleeper Goby (Valenciennea sexguttata)

The Sixspot Sleeper Goby (Valenciennea sexguttata) is named for the six iridescent blue spots arranged on its cheeks and operculum against a clean whitish body. It constantly sifts through the sandbed searching for invertebrates, providing excellent bioturbation and natural sandbed maintenance that benefits reef chemistry. Like others in the genus, it does best when kept as a mated pair and requires a deep sand bed of fine-grained substrate.

Provide at least 7–10 cm of fine aragonite sand for sifting behaviour. Best kept as a bonded pair — single specimens can be supplemented with frozen mysis shrimp and brine shrimp twice daily. Avoid housing with aggressive fish that may prey on the goby or compete for food. Will construct and defend a burrow in the sandbed. Ensure the aquarium lid fits tightly.