🐠 Black Barred Reef Goby (Priolepis nocturna)
A Pale Body Crossed by Bold Black Bars • A Distinctive Upside-Down Resting Posture • A Rare, Peaceful Cave-Dwelling Nano Fish
 
📋 The Black Barred Reef Goby, also known as the Blackbarred Convict Goby, Circus Goby, or Nocturnal Goby, has a striking pale tan-to-white body crossed by bold, clearly defined black vertical bars.
It comes from a wide range across the Indo-Pacific, including the Maldives, Comoros, and the Seychelles, inhabiting small caves and crevices on coral reefs at depths of 8 to 30 metres, and is rarely seen in the aquarium trade. Every Black Barred Reef Goby we ship is feeding well.
A charming behaviour gives this species its "Circus Goby" nickname; it's often seen hanging upside-down or headfirst within cave overhangs and ledges, a natural resting posture unique among reef gobies. This species is nocturnal by nature in the wild, though in aquariums it can often be seen during the day as well as at night. It's fully reef safe and one of the smallest, most peaceful gobies available, though it can be shy and easily outcompeted for food by faster or more boisterous tankmates, so it's best suited to smaller, calmer setups where it can be easily fed and observed. It reaches up to 5cm, so a 40L tank suits it well.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Pale Body With Bold Black Bars: A striking, easy-to-identify pattern
🤸 "Circus Goby" Behaviour: Often seen hanging upside-down in cave overhangs
💎 Rare in the Trade: Uncommon among aquarium gobies
🌿 Fully Reef Safe: Won't harm corals or invertebrates
🧠 Beginner Friendly: Best suited to smaller, calmer tanks