🐠 Blackfin Dartfish (Ptereleotris evides)
A Light Bluish-Grey Front Shading Into a Dark Rear Half • A Graceful Open-Water Hoverer • A Notorious Jumper Needing Pre-Made Hiding Places
 
📋 The Blackfin Dartfish, also known as the Scissortail Goby or Torpedo Goby, is an elegant, sleek marine fish with a light bluish-grey front half shading into a darker, near-black rear half, complemented by large dorsal and anal fins.
It comes from outer reef slopes, lagoons, and bays across the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Society Islands and New South Wales, hovering gracefully 1-2 metres above the substrate, feeding on drifting zooplankton. Every Blackfin Dartfish we ship is feeding well.
Naturally shy but fully reef safe, this species spends most of its time hovering in open water near a retreat it can dart back into at the first sign of danger. Unlike some burrowing fish, this species can't dig its own hole, it relies on existing crevices or burrows made by other creatures, so the aquarium needs to already provide suitable hiding places such as rock crevices or a length of PVC pipe leading to a larger chamber. It's also a notorious jumper, so a tightly fitted lid is essential. It's best kept singly unless housed as a confirmed mated pair, since unrelated individuals in a small group may chase and injure each other. It reaches up to 14cm, so a 115L tank suits it well.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Elegant Bicolour Body: Light bluish-grey front shading into a dark rear half
🐟 Graceful Open-Water Hoverer: Stays near a retreat point while feeding on zooplankton
🌿 Fully Reef Safe: Won't harm corals or invertebrates
⚠️ A Notorious Jumper: A tightly fitted lid is essential
🏠 Needs Pre-Made Hiding Places: Can't dig its own burrow, unlike true gobies