Will Green Clown Gobies eat my corals?

They do not eat the coral polyps for sustenance. However, they will often nip and clear small patches of tissue from SPS corals, like Acropora, to create a smooth, clean surface for laying their eggs.

Can I keep multiple Green Clown Gobies together?

It is best to keep them singly or as a bonded pair. Two males or non-paired individuals may fight fiercely, especially in smaller nano aquariums where territories overlap.

Why is my new Green Clown Goby not eating?

They can be quite shy when first introduced and may struggle to compete with faster fish. Try feeding live copepods or garlic-soaked frozen mysis to stimulate their appetite, and ensure they have plenty of branching shelter to feel secure.

Are Green Clown Gobies poisonous to humans?

While they do produce a toxic mucus on their skin that deters predatory fish from eating them, this defence mechanism is completely harmless to the aquarist and poses no risk to other tank mates.

Do they need a host anemone like clownfish?

No, despite the word 'clown' in their common name, they do not associate with anemones. They strongly prefer branching SPS corals, particularly Acropora, for their shelter and perching sites.

MarineMarineIntermediate

Green Clown Goby

Gobiodon histrio

A vibrant, small marine fish known for its striking green colouration and habit of perching amongst branching corals.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 24 – 28 °C
pH range: 8.1 – 8.4
Hardness: 8 – 12 dGH
Salinity: 1.02 – 1.025 SG
Adult size: 3 – 3.5 cm
Nano Reef: 40 litres+
Lifespan: 2 – 5 years
Diet: carnivore
Water flow: moderate
Preferred setup: Requires branching corals (preferably Acropora) or suitable artificial alternatives for perching and shelter.

About the Green Clown Goby

The Green Clown Goby is a highly entertaining nano fish that brings immense character to marine aquariums. Reaching just 3.5 cm in length, they are perfectly suited for smaller setups and desktop reefs. They feature a distinctively compressed body, a large head, and a charmingly grumpy facial expression. In the wild, their bright colours serve as a warning, as they secrete a toxic mucus that makes them unpalatable to larger predators.

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Where Green Clown Goby comes from

Native range

Indo-Pacific, Red Sea

Countries / regions

Australia, Indonesia, Fiji, Tonga, Philippines

Habitat

Shallow, sunlit coral reefs, heavily associated with branching Acropora corals.

Widespread across the Indo-Pacific, closely mirroring the distribution of their preferred Acropora coral hosts.

Similar species

Yellow Clown Goby
Gobiodon okinawae
Citrinis Clown Goby
Gobiodon citrinus
Panda Clown Goby
Paragobiodon lacunicolus

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

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

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Royal Gramma
Gramma loreto
Peaceful, occupies different tank zones, and will not bother the goby.
Great
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
Lysmata amboinensis
Excellent reef tankmate that provides cleaning services without posing any predatory risk.
Great
Ocellaris Clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
Peaceful community fish that respects the goby's space in the coral branches.
Great
Yellow Clown Goby
Gobiodon okinawae
Can be highly territorial towards other Gobiodon species in smaller aquariums.
Compatible with caution
SPS Corals (Acropora)
Gobies may strip tissue from live SPS branches to create a nesting site.
Compatible with caution
Longnose Hawkfish
Oxycirrhites typus
Hawkfish are ambush predators that may view small, perching gobies as a snack.
Not recommended

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