Lined Glider

Railway Goby Overview

• Common Names:

  • Railway Goby

  • Sleeper Banded Goby

  • Bullet Goby

  • Brownbarred Goby

• Scientific Name: Amblygobius phalaena

• Family: Gobiidae

• Origin: Indo-Pacific – from the Red Sea to Western Pacific Islands

• Size: Up to 5.5 inches (14 cm)

• Lifespan: 3–5 years in captivity

• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

🌈 Appearance

• Body Color: Pale tan or cream base color

• Stripes: Distinctive horizontal brown or reddish bands along the body, resembling railway tracks (hence the name)

• Face: Sometimes has a bluish tint with a pattern near the eyes

• Mouth: Downturned, ideal for scooping sand

🏝️ Natural Habitat

• Found in sandy lagoon areas, reef flats, and rubble zones

• Lives in pairs or solitary, often near burrows under rocks

• Constantly sifts sand to extract microfauna for food

🐠 Aquarium Care

Tank Requirements:

• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons for a single, 55+ gallons for a pair

• Substrate: Fine sand is essential — at least 2–3 inches deep

• Aquascape:

  • Live rock for burrow support

  • Open sand bed for foraging

• Lid Required: Yes — jump risk is high

Water Parameters:

• Temperature: 74–80°F (23–27°C)

• pH: 8.1–8.4

• Salinity: 1.023–1.025

• Nitrates: <20 ppm

🍽️ Diet

• Feeding Type: Omnivore / Sand-sifter

• Natural Diet: Consumes microfauna (copepods, worms) in sand

• Captive Diet:

  • Frozen mysis and brine shrimp

  • Enriched frozen foods

  • Sinking pellets

  • Occasional live foods

• Feeding Frequency: 1–2 times per day

• Must be supplemented — sand alone is not enough in captivity

🤝 Behavior & Compatibility

• Temperament: Peaceful and shy

• Reef Safe: ✅ Yes — will not harm corals or most inverts

• Tankmates:

  • Peaceful reef fish: clowns, gobies, cardinals, wrasses

  • Avoid large aggressive fish that may intimidate or outcompete

• Burrower: Yes — may dig under rocks or corals

• Sand Sifter: Constantly passes sand through its gills, aerating and cleaning it

✅ Pros

• Functional — keeps sand bed clean and oxygenated

• Peaceful and reef safe

• Attractive stripes and natural behavior

• Compatible with many peaceful reef species

• Can help reduce detritus and algae on sand

❌ Cons

• Can jump — tight-fitting lid required

• May cover corals or rocks with sand while digging

• Needs supplemental feeding — sand isn’t enough

• May rearrange substrate and create caves/burrows

• Sensitive to poor water quality early on

💡 Tips for Success

• Acclimate slowly — can be sensitive to shipping stress

• Feed near the substrate to ensure it gets food

• Keep rocks stable — burrowing can destabilize loose rockwork

• Provide extra feeding in tanks with little natural fauna

• Secure all openings to prevent escapes

Summary