Bumble Bee Tiger Goby 2cm

Bumble Bee Tiger Goby

For aquarists looking to keep a highly underrated and oddball fish, the bumble bee tiger goby is a perfect selection. These fish are a very rare find in the aquarium hobby and make for a great fish to keep in a nano display because of their small size, unique behaviour, and colours. These bumble bee tiger gobies are closely related to the common yellow and black common bumble bee gobies, which are popular fish to keep in brackish water aquariums; however, these bumble bee tiger gobies can thrive in full freshwater environments. Due to their lack of overall availability, there is a large lack of first-hand aquarist experience in regards to the care of these fish however, they are reported to be fairly easy to keep despite their incredibly small size.

The bumble bee tiger goby also has a very unique aesthetic when compared to other aquarium species, it has a small, stubby body that only reaches around 4 cm. These fish have a bright honey yellow colour through the body and the most characteristic factor is the patterning of black striations which is where they get their name from. Their small size also makes them a very peaceful fish that would be a great addition to a small tank. These are considered to be tropical fish but can thrive in a varied temperature range from 22-28 degrees. Bumble bee tiger gobies also come from locations where the PH is very acidic due to fallen leaves and organic matter in the tank, so the recommended PH range would be anything from 4.5-6.0. This can be easily maintained through aquarium-safe botanicals and hardscape selection such as driftwood.  

Bumble bee tiger gobies would be the perfect fish to add to a very slow-paced nano community aquarium that emulates their wild blackwater setting. Breeding this species is possible but considered more advanced. Males become more vibrant and territorial during courtship, claiming a cave or crevice and attempting to lure females. Eggs are laid inside the cave and guarded by the male until they hatch. Providing narrow PVC pipes or small rock caves in a species-only tank increases success. Slightly brackish conditions may improve spawning outcomes, though freshwater breeding has been recorded.

Tank Recommendations for your Bumble Bee Tiger Gobies

Because the bumblebee gobies are small and spend a lot of their time idling in their environment, hanging around floating plants and hardscape, they can be kept in smaller aquariums with a minimum being a tank of 35 litres. This allows enough room for a small group of bumble bee tiger gobies long term as well.  Because they are slow-moving moving it is best to avoid filtration methods that have high flow; recommended options would be sponge or hang-on back filters. 

The bumble bee tiger gobies will love a densely planted tank with a lot of varied hardscape where they can perch, They can be a very shy fish that will take a lot of time to get used to the typical aquarium settings. A low-powered light and dark hardscape elements like driftwood, botanicals such as seed pods, leaves, and river stones would be recommended. This will also make for an eye-catching display because of how uncommon it is. 

Suitable Tank Buddies

Bumble bee tiger gobies are a very peaceful fish that will often get outcompeted by tank mates. They are almost exclusively bottom-dwelling fish, meaning that they need to be kept with slow-moving fish that can not outcompete them.

Usually Compatible

snails, pygmy Corydoras, neon tetras, sparkling gourami, celestial pear danios, and similar slow species. 

Sometime Compatible

Smaller betta, zebra danios, endlers, harlequin rasboras, and khuli loaches

Rarely Compatible 

Larger tetras, aggressive dwarf cichlids, or any fast-moving species that will outcompete the goby 

Feeding your Bumble Bee Tiger Goby

Because of their shy nature, it may take some time to get these bumble bee tiger gobies to eat common aquarium foods; however, with some care and variety in feeding, they should be easily weaned to this option. When they are first introduced, it is best to feed moving foods like white worms, live black worms, and micro worms. Once they are comfortably eating on a consistent basis, they can be transitioned to frozen foods and finally a prepared staple like micro sinking pellets or crushed flakes.