Black Toraja Goby Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

The Black Toraja Goby is a small, darkly coloured freshwater goby with a compact body, broad head and prominent eyes. Its subdued black, charcoal and brown tones help it blend into shaded rocky surroundings, while subtle markings may become more apparent when the fish is settled or displaying.

The Black Toraja Goby is native to Sulawesi, Indonesia, and is associated with the freshwater systems of the island, particularly the Lake Poso region. It is a Southeast Asian species from the ancient freshwater habitats of Sulawesi.

Allow at least 60 litres for a pair or small community group, with a footprint of roughly 60 by 30 cm or larger; a longer aquarium is preferable to a tall one. Use a soft sand or fine rounded-gravel substrate, smooth stones, caves, short lengths of narrow tubing and driftwood to create separate territories and shaded retreats. Gentle to moderate water movement, strong oxygenation and open areas for foraging are valuable, while secure cover helps prevent escapes.

Up to about 5 cm (2 in) in total length. Females may be slightly deeper-bodied, while males can appear a little more elongated, but reliable published size comparisons are limited.

This goby is primarily a small carnivore and should be offered a varied diet of finely chopped seafood, frozen foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp, and suitably sized live foods. Newly imported or wild fish may ignore flakes and pellets, although some individuals can learn to accept sinking, protein-rich foods. Feed small portions regularly and make sure food reaches the bottom.

Black Toraja Gobies are best kept with peaceful, similarly sized fish that prefer comparable warm, clean freshwater conditions. Suitable companions may include small peaceful rasboras, danionins and other non-aggressive Sulawesi fish, provided they do not outcompete the gobies for food. Avoid large cichlids, boisterous barbs, fin-nippers and highly territorial bottom dwellers; males may also quarrel if kept in cramped quarters with too few shelters.

Black Toraja Gobies are believed to be cave-spawning fish, with the male guarding eggs laid on the roof or walls of a secluded shelter. Offer several small caves or tubes, excellent water quality and a varied diet of live or frozen foods to encourage spawning. The male is likely to remain with the clutch until hatching, but detailed captive-breeding information for this uncommon species is limited, and raising the tiny larvae may require very small live foods.

Females are generally fuller through the abdomen, particularly when carrying eggs. Males may be slimmer and show a broader or more strongly developed head and darker display colours, although sexing young Black Toraja Gobies can be difficult.