Scissortail Goby: Care, Diet, and Tank Setup Guide

If you are looking for a graceful, peaceful, and genuinely charming addition to your reef tank, the Scissortail Goby (Ptereleotris evides) is one of the most satisfying and underrated choices available in the marine hobby. Easy to feed, fully reef safe, compatible with a wide range of tankmates, and possessing a quiet elegance that never gets old, this species brings genuine personality and beauty to reef systems of all sizes without any of the aggression or difficulty that other colorful marine fish often bring along with them.

What Is the Scissortail Goby?

The Scissortail Goby is native to the tropical Indo-Pacific, where it is found hovering in pairs or small groups just above sandy reef flats, lagoon floors, and rubble zones at depths ranging from 2 to 15 meters. It faces into the prevailing current to intercept passing zooplankton and small organic particles, retreating rapidly into a small burrow at the base of the reef structure when threatened by predators.

Adults grow to around 5 inches in length and have a slender, elongated body that is pale bluish-gray near the head, deepening to darker blue and vivid black toward the rear. The caudal fin is distinctively forked, with bold dark markings running along the outer edges of each lobe. When the fish is hovering in open water or resting momentarily, this forked tail spreads open in a way that closely resembles a pair of scissors, which is precisely how this species earned its common name. It is a subtle but genuinely beautiful fish that rewards attentive observation.

Tank Setup for Scissortail Goby

A minimum of 30 gallons works well for a single specimen or a mated pair, making this an accessible species for hobbyists with systems of a wide range of sizes. The tank should include a sand substrate of at least 2 inches in depth, live rock arranged to provide natural shelter and resting areas near the bottom, and moderate water flow directed through the open midwater zone where this species spends most of its active time.

Avoid overcrowding the midwater area with tall, dense rock formations, as the Scissortail Goby needs clear, open space to perform its characteristic hovering behavior comfortably. A tank that is too visually cluttered in the midwater zone causes this species to feel exposed and stressed, reducing its willingness to hover openly where it can be observed and appreciated.

Keep water temperature between 72 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit, salinity at 1.020 to 1.025, and pH between 8.1 and 8.4. The Scissortail Goby is fully reef safe and will not disturb corals, clams, anemones, or most invertebrates, making it an excellent fit for community reef tanks at any experience level. Regular water changes and stable parameters support the best long-term health and coloration in this species.

A tightly fitted lid or full screen top is absolutely essential for this species. The Scissortail Goby is a capable and deceptively fast jumper, and losses to open-top tanks are unfortunately very common, particularly during the first few weeks after introduction when the fish is still mapping its new environment and may dart unexpectedly toward the surface when startled.

Feeding

The Scissortail Goby feeds on small zooplankton, copepods, and suspended organic particles in the wild and transitions readily to prepared aquarium foods in captivity. Offer frozen mysis shrimp, frozen copepods, frozen brine shrimp, and finely crushed high-quality flake or small pellet foods. As this species has a slim, streamlined body that does not store fat reserves efficiently, feeding two to three small meals per day produces significantly better long-term health outcomes than a single large daily feeding. Consistent, frequent small meals mirror the natural continuous feeding behavior of this species in the wild.

In tanks with well-established refugiums producing live copepod populations, Scissortail Gobies often supplement their prepared diet by hunting actively through the water column, which adds natural enrichment and keeps the fish engaged throughout the day.

Behavior and Compatibility

The Scissortail Goby is one of the most peaceful species available in the marine hobby and mixes well with virtually all community reef fish including clownfish, anthias, small wrasses, dartfish, cardinalfish, and gobies of similar size. It is particularly charming when kept as a mated pair, as bonded individuals hover side by side, move through the tank in coordinated unison, and interact with each other in subtle but endlessly entertaining ways throughout the day.

Avoid housing the Scissortail Goby with large, aggressive predatory species such as lionfish, large triggers, or groupers that may stress or consume it. It thrives in calm, well-ordered community reef environments where it can hover freely and feed without competition or harassment.

Always quarantine new Scissortail Gobies before adding them to your display tank. At Dr. Reef’s Quarantined Fish, every fish is put through a thorough quarantine process, so you can add this elegant and rewarding species to your reef knowing it arrives healthy and fully ready to thrive.