Can Bumblebee Gobies live in pure freshwater?

While they can survive in pure freshwater for short periods, they will inevitably succumb to stress, fungal infections, and disease. A low-end brackish setup using marine salt (SG 1.002-1.005) is heavily recommended for their long-term health.

Why is my Bumblebee Goby refusing to eat?

These gobies are fussy micro-predators that rarely, if ever, accept dry flakes or pellets. If your fish is not eating, you must offer live or frozen foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp, or Daphnia.

How many should I keep together?

It is best to keep them in groups of at least six. Although they are territorial with each other, a larger group disperses the aggression and allows them to form a natural hierarchy without any single individual being bullied.

Can I keep them with bottom-dwelling catfish like Corydoras?

No. Corydoras are strictly freshwater fish and cannot tolerate the salt Bumblebee Gobies require. Additionally, active bottom-feeders will easily outcompete the slow-moving gobies for food.

Do they need a specific type of substrate?

A soft, fine sandy substrate is ideal. Because they spend the majority of their time resting on or moving across the bottom, sharp gravel can damage their delicate bellies and fused pelvic fins.

BrackishTropicalIntermediate

Bumblebee Goby

Brachygobius spp.

A diminutive, strikingly banded bottom-dwelling fish that thrives in low-end brackish water and adds immense character to nano setups.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 22 – 28 °C
pH range: 7.5 – 8.5
Hardness: 10 – 20 dGH
Salinity: 1.002 – 1.005 SG
Adult size: 3 – 4 cm
Standard nano tank: 40 litres+
Lifespan: 3 – 5 years
Diet: Carnivore
Water flow: low
Preferred setup: Sandy substrate with abundant hiding places like small rocks, shells, and ceramic pipes.

About the Bumblebee Goby

The Bumblebee Goby is an iconic, miniature species instantly recognisable by its bold black and yellow striping. Sold under the scientific genus *Brachygobius*, this name actually covers a complex of nearly identical species, most commonly *B. doriae* or *B. sabanus*. Despite frequently being marketed as freshwater fish, they are genuinely estuarine in nature and require slightly salty water to thrive long-term. Their comical, jerky swimming style and grumpy facial expressions make them a beloved favourite among dedicated nano fishkeepers.

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Is it right for your tank?

Check Bumblebee Goby against a habitat you already keep. We compare water type, temperature, pH, adult size, group needs and everything living there.

Where Bumblebee Goby comes from

Native range

Southeast Asia

Countries / regions

Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam

Habitat

Found in shallow, slow-moving estuaries, tidal rivers, and mangrove swamps, often hiding among leaf litter and root systems.

The trade name encompasses multiple similar species distributed widely across coastal Southeast Asia.

Similar species

Knight Goby
Stigmatogobius sadanundio
Desert Goby
Chlamydogobius eremius
Peacock Gudgeon
Tateurndina ocellicauda

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

View all compatibility

Indian Glassfish
Parambassis ranga
Occupies the middle water column, thrives in identical low-end brackish conditions, and is peaceful enough not to bother the gobies.
Great
Wrestling Halfbeak
Dermogenys pusilla
Strictly surface dwellers that appreciate slight salinity, ensuring they never cross paths with the bottom-dwelling gobies.
Great
Molly
Poecilia sphenops
Excellent brackish companions that act as dither fish, making the gobies feel secure while keeping algae growth in check.
Great
Figure Eight Puffer
Tetraodon biocellatus
Shares the ideal brackish habitat, but puffers can be unpredictable and may nip at the slower-moving gobies if bored.
Compatible with caution
Orange Chromide
Etroplus maculatus
A brackish cichlid that is generally peaceful, but can become aggressively territorial during spawning, potentially stressing the gobies.
Compatible with caution
Bronze Corydoras
Corydoras aeneus
Strictly freshwater fish that cannot tolerate the salt required by Bumblebee Gobies, and would compete for bottom space.
Not recommended
Green Spotted Puffer
Dichotomyctere nigroviridis
Grows too large, requires higher salinity as it matures, and is highly likely to prey on small gobies.
Not recommended

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