Goby Diet Information

The family Gobiidea, or goby fish, includes more than 2,000 species. Many are found in shallow, salty estuaries. As carnivores, they require meaty foods.

  1. Foods

    • Worms, shrimp and other animals are appropriate foods. Gobies can eat fresh or frozen fish foods. Examples include live brine shrimp, frozen brine shrimp and larger shrimp. Many gobies are "sand sifters" who get much of their nutrition from organic matter at the bottom of the tank.

    Gobies in the Wild

    • Large gobies in the wild feed on crustaceans like clams and mussels.

      The round goby is a feral species now appearing in the freshwater Great Lakes. Round gobies feed on clams and mussels, large invertebrates, fish eggs and small fish, and insect larvae.

    Special Situations

    • Certain delicate gobies, such as the Mandarin dragonet, commonly die from malnutrition in captivity because they are difficult to feed. Mandarin dragonets eat tiny crustaceans and are very reluctant to accept prepared food. To finesse a dragonet into eating prepared foods, begin by feeding live brine shrimp. Once feeding is established, replace a tiny portion of the live shrimp with frozen. Increase the amount of frozen shrimp slowly over time.