Rainford Goby

Description

Rainford’s Goby

Species: Koumansetta rainfordi

Growth Form:
Small, slender sand-sifting goby with an elongated body and rounded fins. Known for its calm swimming behavior and frequent grazing along the substrate.

Coloration:
Beautiful natural pattern with alternating orange, yellow, and blue-green horizontal stripes along the body. The fins are often transparent to lightly tinted, giving the fish a delicate and elegant appearance.

Temperament:
Peaceful and shy. Best kept with other calm, non-aggressive tankmates. May be intimidated by larger or highly active fish.

Tank Size:
30 gallons and up.
A mature aquarium with a well-established sand bed and natural microfauna is recommended.

Placement:
Bottom-dwelling species that spends most of its time near or on the substrate. Provide a sandy bottom with plenty of live rock for grazing and hiding.

Lighting:
Low to moderate lighting.
Lighting intensity is generally not critical as long as the tank supports healthy algae and microfauna growth.

Flow:
Low to moderate flow.
Excessive flow can make it difficult for this goby to comfortably forage on the sand bed.

Diet:
Omnivorous micro-grazer. In nature it feeds on microalgae, diatoms, and tiny organisms found on sand and rock surfaces.

Feeding:
Offer finely chopped frozen foods such as mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, copepods, and small sinking pellets. Many individuals also graze on film algae and microfauna throughout the day.

Reef Safe:
Yes. Completely reef safe with corals and most invertebrates. Often beneficial for lightly stirring the sand surface while grazing.

Care Level:
Moderate.
While peaceful and hardy once established, this species may be difficult to feed initially and does best in mature aquariums with natural food sources.

Ideal Parameters:

• Salinity: 1.024–1.026

• Temperature: 75–79°F

• pH: 8.1–8.4

• Nitrates: <20 ppm

• Stable reef conditions recommended

Fun Fact:
Rainford’s Goby is sometimes called the Court Jester Goby due to its colorful striped pattern and playful foraging behavior across the sand and rock surfaces.