Gold Head Sleeper Goby

Golden-Headed Sleeper Goby: The Reef Tank Sand Sifter

The Golden-Headed Sleeper Goby (Valenciennea strigata) is one of the most popular and beneficial fish for a marine aquarium with a deep sand bed. It is known by several other common names, including Blueband Goby, Blue Cheek Goby, and Yellow-headed Sleeper Goby. This striking fish is easily identified by its bright golden-yellow head that contrasts with a pearly white to pale-grey body, featuring a distinct blue-streak or band running from the mouth to the gill plate.

Native to the sandy lagoons and reef slopes of the Indo-Pacific, this goby is prized for its sand-sifting behavior. It constantly takes large mouthfuls of sand, sifts through it for tiny food items (small invertebrates, microfauna, and detritus), and expels the cleaned sand through its gills. This activity keeps the substrate clean and well-oxygenated, helping to prevent detritus buildup and nuisance algae.

The Golden-Headed Sleeper Goby can reach a maximum size of about 6 to 7 inches (15-18 cm) and requires a minimum aquarium size of 30 to 55 gallons with a well-established, deep sand bed (at least 2-4 inches). It is a known jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is essential.

Diet & Compatibility:

• Diet: This goby is a Carnivore whose primary natural diet consists of small benthic invertebrates (copepods, amphipods, etc.) and other microfauna that it sifts from the sand. In the home aquarium, its greatest challenge is starvation, as it can quickly deplete the food source in the sand bed. It must be fed frequently (3-4 times daily) with sinking meaty foods like frozen mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood, and high-quality sinking pellets. Soaking food to allow it to sink and land on the sand is highly recommended. A mature tank with a refugium that produces microfauna is ideal.
• Reef Compatibility: It is considered Reef Safe and poses no threat to corals or most motile invertebrates. However, its constant sand-sifting behavior can be problematic. It will create small mounds and valleys in the sand bed and may cover low-lying corals, clams, or other sessile invertebrates with expelled sand, potentially leading to their decline.
• Temperament: It is a Peaceful community fish. It is often found in the wild as a mated pair and can be kept in pairs in captivity, but only one individual or a confirmed pair should be kept per tank, as they can be aggressive toward conspecifics or other sand-sifting gobies (e.g., other $$Valenciennea$$ species).
• Burrowing: This species is a burrow dweller and will dig under live rock or décor to create a protected refuge. It is critical to ensure that all rockwork is securely stabilized and cannot collapse when the sand underneath is removed.

Quick Facts

• Scientific Name: Valenciennea strigata
• Primary Common Name: Golden-Headed Sleeper Goby
• Other Common Names: Blueband Goby, Blue Cheek Goby, Yellow-headed Sleeper Goby
• Origin: Indo-Pacific (East Africa to Tuamoto Islands)
• Max Size: 6-7 inches (15-18 cm)
• Temperament: Peaceful / Sand Sifter
• Diet: Carnivore (Feeds on microfauna; requires frequent supplemental feeding)
• Minimum Tank Size: 30-55 Gallons (Requires deep sand bed)
• Reef Compatibility: Yes, but with Caution (May bury sessile invertebrates)