Gobies
Yellow clown goby
Gobiodon okinawae
Also sold as Okinawa goby

- Care level
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 3.8 cm in aquariums
- Minimum tank
- 38 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- With corals
- Reef safe with caution
- Captive-bred
- Occasionally captive-bred
- IUCN status
- Least Concern
How do you care for the yellow clown goby?
Peaceful; may fight its own kind in small tanks.
Feeding
Carnivore: small frozen foods.
Small mouth; offer fine foods.
Tank and special needs
Plan for at least 38 litres of water (the care sheet says 10 US gallons).
Appreciates branching coral to perch in.
Corals and invertebrates
May nip small-polyp stony coral (SPS) polyps; spawning on Acropora can kill tissue where eggs are laid (LiveAquaria).
Which tankmates suit the yellow clown goby?
Keep singly or as a pair; perches in branching coral.
Suggested order in a mixed tank: add early, with the first peaceful fish.
More than one yellow clown goby
Only as a mated pair, or two juveniles added together. A third yellow clown goby is usually driven out.
Other fish
Checked against the other 59 fish in this guide, assuming a tank big enough for both. Individual fish differ, so treat this as a starting point.
Avoid together (5)
- Maroon clownfishMaroon clownfish is aggressive and may bully the yellow clown goby, which is small enough to be driven into hiding or killed.
- Humbug damselHumbug damsel is aggressive and may bully the yellow clown goby, which is small enough to be driven into hiding or killed.
- Powder blue tangPowder blue tang is aggressive and may bully the yellow clown goby, which is small enough to be driven into hiding or killed.
- Flame hawkfishFlame hawkfish can swallow a fish as small as the yellow clown goby.
- Longnose hawkfishLongnose hawkfish can swallow a fish as small as the yellow clown goby.
Take care (3)
- Bicolor blennyBicolor blennies may nip small gobies and dartfish in small tanks.
- Midas blennyMidas blennies are known to nip firefish and small gobies.
- Falco hawkfishFalco hawkfish may attack or eat small bottom-dwelling fish like the yellow clown goby.
Usually fine together (51)
- Ocellaris clownfish
- Percula clownfish
- Clark's anemonefish
- Tomato clownfish
- Neon goby
- Yellow watchman goby
- Orange spotted goby
- Hi-fin red banded goby
- Gold head sleeper goby
- Rainford's goby
- Lawnmower blenny
- Tailspot blenny
- Striped fang blenny
- Royal dottyback
- Orchid dottyback
- Magenta dottyback
- Neon dottyback
- Banggai cardinalfish
- Pyjama cardinalfish
- Green chromis
- Yellowtail blue damsel
- Blue damsel
- Azure damsel
- Yellow coris wrasse
- Six line wrasse
- Red head solon fairy wrasse
- Carpenter's flasher wrasse
- Melanurus wrasse
- Leopard wrasse
- Bluestreak cleaner wrasse
- Firefish
- Purple firefish
- Scissortail dartfish
- Lyretail anthias
- Bartlett's anthias
- Royal gramma
- Yellow assessor
- Yellow tang
- Regal blue tang
- Kole tang
- Scopas tang
- Coral beauty
- Flame angelfish
- Cherub angelfish
- Foxface rabbitfish
- Yellowhead jawfish
- Mandarin dragonet
- Spotted mandarin
- Moorish idol
- Harlequin filefish
- Copperband butterflyfish
Invertebrates
Only the invertebrates with a known risk are listed.
Take care (4)
- Arrow crabThe arrow crab can catch small fish like the yellow clown goby.
- Tiger tail sea cucumberA stressed or dead tiger tail sea cucumber can release toxins that harm fish; cover pump intakes.
- Sea appleA stressed or dead sea apple can release toxins that harm fish; cover pump intakes.
- Green brittle starThe green brittle star can catch small fish like the yellow clown goby.
Corals and anemones
Only the corals and anemones with a known risk are listed.
Take care (10)
- Montipora capricornisYellow clown goby may nip SPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Montipora digitataYellow clown goby may nip SPS corals, more so when underfed.
- AcroporaYellow clown goby may nip Acropora, more so when underfed.
- Acropora milleporaYellow clown goby may nip Acropora, more so when underfed.
- PocilloporaYellow clown goby may nip SPS corals, more so when underfed.
- StylophoraYellow clown goby may nip SPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Birdsnest coralYellow clown goby may nip SPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Horn coralYellow clown goby may nip SPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Fire coral (not Acropora millepora)Yellow clown goby may nip SPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Carpet anemones (Haddon's, giant)The carpet anemones (Haddon's, giant) can catch and eat small fish such as the yellow clown goby.
These checks follow the reasons fish and invertebrates clash: same species or genus, similar shape, mouth size, temperament, food, burrows, tank size and the order they are added. Individual animals differ; every source agrees on that.
Quarantine and health
Slime coat is reported to be toxic, which deters predators.
New fish are the most common way disease gets into a reef tank. Quarantine every fish in a separate tank before it joins the display, and choose a method that suits its tolerance of copper.
Captive-bred or wild?
Mostly wild-caught; captive-bred Gobiodon occasionally sold.
What does it cost in the UK?
about £18. This is one UK retailer’s listing on 21 October 2026, not a market average, and every item was sold out on that day. Label assumed to be this species.
Sources
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