Peacock Goby (Tateurndina ocellicauda)

The Peacock Goby, Tateurndina ocellicauda, is a colourful freshwater gudgeon from Papua New Guinea with a soft blue to lavender body, red edging, yellow highlights and a distinctive eye-spot near the tail. Also known as the Peacock Gudgeon, Peacock Sleeper or Eye-spot Sleeper, this peaceful species is a superb choice for mature planted aquariums with calm tank mates, gentle flow and plenty of cover. It is small, attractive and full of character, but it does best in stable water and should not be kept with boisterous or aggressive fish.

Common Name:
Peacock Goby, Peacock Gudgeon, Peacock Sleeper, Eye-spot Sleeper.

Scientific Name (Latin):
Tateurndina ocellicauda

Maximum Size:
Usually around 5–7 cm, with FishBase listing up to 7.5 cm total length.

Water Type:
Freshwater

Origin / Natural Habitat:
Native to eastern Papua New Guinea. In the wild, it inhabits rivers, ponds and rainforest streams, where groups hover close to the bottom and use plants, roots, rocks and crevices for shelter. It is associated with calm to gently flowing freshwater habitats rather than fast current or open, exposed water.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 22–26°C
pH Range: 6.5–7.5
Hardness or Salinity: Soft to moderately hard freshwater; stable, clean water is preferred.

Temperament:
Peaceful, but males may show mild territorial behaviour when breeding. Peacock Gobies are suitable for calm community aquariums and are best kept as a pair or small group with more females than males where possible. Avoid aggressive, fin-nipping or very fast-feeding tank mates.

Diet:
Carnivorous micro-predator. Offer frozen and live foods such as daphnia, cyclops, brineshrimp, bloodworm, mosquito larvae and small whiteworm, along with high-quality micro pellets or fine granules if accepted. Some individuals can be fussy with dry foods, so live and frozen foods are useful for settling, condition and breeding.

Minimum Tank Size:
A minimum of 60 litres is recommended for a pair or small group, with 75–90 litres or more preferred for a planted community setup. Provide plenty of cover, caves and broken lines of sight.

Behaviour & Activity:
A lower-to-midwater fish that often hovers just above the substrate or perches among plants, roots and caves. It is not a true goby and does not have the fused pelvic fins seen in many marine and freshwater gobies. Males may claim small caves or crevices, where spawning can take place. The male usually guards and fans the eggs until hatching, making this species especially interesting in a quiet breeding setup.

Aquarium Category:
Community Fish
Suitable with peaceful small fish such as small rasboras, tetras, pencilfish, peaceful livebearers, dwarf rainbowfish, Corydoras-type catfish, Otocinclus, snails and calm shrimp with caution. Avoid large predators, aggressive cichlids, fin-nippers, very boisterous barbs and any fish large enough to swallow or intimidate them.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Provide a mature planted aquarium with dark substrate, floating plants, wood, caves, smooth stones and shaded areas. Gentle filtration is preferred, as this species does not need strong current. A secure lid is recommended, as Peacock Gobies can jump. Feed carefully in community aquariums to make sure they are not outcompeted. Sexing is usually possible in adults: males tend to have a broader head and more developed nuchal hump, while females are often rounder in the belly and may show a yellowish abdomen.

Suitable for:
Beginner to intermediate fishkeepers

Availability:
Common to occasional in trade / Often captive-bred

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.

Gobies

Peacock Goby - Tateurndina ocellicauda