Dragon gobies are consummate meat-eaters, meaning they will snaffle up anything smaller than themselves in their brackish tanks. However, they do also enjoy a mixed diet of greens, too – and it’s important that you provide them with a selection of both!
Dragon goby fish are among the most interesting species that you can find both in the wild and in tropical tanks. Their eel-like bodies, strong teeth, and beautiful scales make them stunning to look at and even more interesting to observe. But what can you feed your dragon goby fish that will satisfy their hunger and their daily needs?
As is the case with all kinds of fish, dragon goby fish do need specific food to help to sustain them and to ensure their longevity in captivity. In the wild, they are very adept at locating the best food sources from a wide variety of locations – but in captivity, it will be up to you to ensure that they get all the nutrients that they need to thrive in your brackish tank.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at what dragon goby fish eat, how you should feed them, and the ideal tank conditions for them.
What do dragon goby eat?
Dragon goby fish are omnivorous animals. That means that they need to eat both meat and vegetables to have a balanced diet. Therefore, consider giving them a nice balance of fish pellets and live food, available from a trusted source.
It is also important to note that, while they have very strong teeth, dragon gobies also have very small throats. That means that you will need to pay special attention to the form and the size of the food that you give them. Food in the form of flakes and pellets is good as it is soft and easier for the goby fish to swallow. Algae wafers are also an excellent source of food – and they’ll snack on them happily.
However, the use of live or frozen food is also necessary for them to have a more natural and balanced diet. Opt for baby brine shrimp, bloodworms, and tubifex worms. Mixing these in with some vegetables will help ensure that your dragon goby fish gets all the nutrients they need while enjoying your brackish setup.
How do you feed a dragon goby?
Dragon goby fish only need to be fed once a day. They should have a balanced diet of vegetables and live or frozen fish. Try to feed your dragon goby fish around the same time every day to ensure that they do not have to wait too long between meals. They may not tap on the glass to tell you they want food – so keep an eye on them!
It is also important to remember that while dragon goby do need a variety of foods, they are only relatively small fish. Do not overfeed them, as this could lead to serious issues within the tank and their own health. A good way of determining how much you should feed them is by seeing how much they generally eat within two minutes. That will sustain them enough without being too much for them to handle.
Remember that, for the foods that are not soft, you should cut them into smaller pieces to make it easier for the dragon goby fish to consume. Given their small throats, too big food can easily become lodged and a bigger issue!
How big of a tank do you need for a dragon goby?
Even though dragon goby fish may appear as though they are quite small and therefore should be able to thrive in a relatively small aquarium, this is not the case. At the very least, dragon goby fish need a tank that can hold about 25 gallons of water. In fact, in order to ensure that they have enough room to grow, it is best to opt for a tank that can hold around 50 gallons of water.
Remember that this is just for one dragon goby fish, so if you intend on having more, then you will need to plan for the size of the tank accordingly. More space is better when it comes to your tank size needed for a dragon goby or gobies.
Moreover, you will need a tank that can provide ample space for the dragon goby fish to swim about in with ease. Even for one dragon goby fish, it is wise to have a brackish water tank that is at least 25 gallons capacity. If you plan to have more dragon goby fish, you will have to calculate the size based on the number of extra critters you plan on housing. It is important to provide them with more room if you plan to have a group, as they tend to be territorial and can get aggressive.
Do dragon goby eat snails?
Dragon goby tend to stick to fish when it comes to their food choices; however, they have occasionally been known to eat snails. In fact, if you have your own dragon goby fish as part of a brackish tank at home, then it would be wise to feed them snails now and then as a great source of live food.
If you plan on keeping snails as pets in your brackish tank alongside dragon goby, think again! It’s best to house your gobies with fish of a similar size, or they’ll gobble up your snails in no time. It’s never a good idea to keep dragon goby in a tank with anything smaller than itself, regardless of whether it is fish, shrimp, snails or otherwise.
To keep dragon goby from eating snails, it may be more prudent to offer them as balanced a diet as you can. However, as established, this is never likely to stop the problem outright – so just keep snails as far away from goby as you possibly can.
