Maximum length: 15 cm

Depth: 10 - 40 m

Always at the bottom during construction.

Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

Maximum length: 23 cm

Depth: 5 - 30 m

A total of 5 broad transverse stripes across the body.

The body is usually creamy white, the transverse bands are more or less dark to light brown.

Photo 1 Astrid: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

Maximum length: 8 cm

Depth: 8 - 30 metres

Easy to recognise by the orange dots and dark belly spots.

Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North - Sulawesi

Photo 2 Johnny: Moalboal Philippines

 Maximum length: 10 cm

Depth: 3 - 35 m

Whitish body with 5 brown stripes starting at the head end.

Lives on sandy areas, including coarse sand, on outer reef slopes and lagoons.

Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 12 cm

Depth: 5 - 35 m

Single or in pairs on sand.

Associated with various crabs.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bali Indonesia

Maximum length: 12 cm

Depth: 6 - 30 metres

Lives in symbiosis with the white-saddle crab.

Found in sandy areas.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

 Maximum length: 10 cm

Depth: 3 - 30 m

Has six broad, brown-red to red bands.

The spaces between the bands are light to yellowish in colour and have pale blue dots.

Lives in symbiosis with various Alpheus pistol crabs.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 11 cm

Depth: 5 - 20 m

Usually single with 1 to 2 crabs.

Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 18 cm

Depth: 0.3 - 20 m

Five dark stripes on the body and one spot each on the pectoral fin and tail.

It also builds its burrow by scooping away sand with its mouth.

Almost identical to the Banded Goby (see some species below).

Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

 Maximum length: 10 cm

Depth: 0.1 - 8 m

This goby appears to be quite rare.

Pale goby with two dark stripes along the body that fade before the tail

and a black spot at the base of the tail.

.photo 1 Johnny: Moalboal Philippines

 Maximum length: 10 cm

Depth: 1 - 30 m

On sand, rubble or in coastal lagoons.

Pale body colouration with orange stripes.

Adults always in pairs.

Photo 1 Astrid: Hurghada Egypt

 Maximum length: 14 cm

Depth: 2 - 20 m

Variable colouring, from very pale to olive-brownish to blackish-brown.

They have red spots on the head.

There is a black spot in the first dorsal fin.

They live singly or in pairs on the sand and rubble bottoms of sheltered reefs,

often with a burrow under a rock or stone.

They build their burrows themselves.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 11 cm

Depth: 3 - 25 metres

They are usually found as a pair in a cave under rocks or rubble.

Feeds on filamentous algae and amphipods.

Almost identical looking gobies are the green gobies (see some species above)

Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

 Maximum length: 4.5 cm

Depth 3 - 30 m

It lives on whip corals and various gorgonians, where it snatches small zooplankton.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 3.5 cm

Depth: 3 - 50 m

The upper half of the back has about seven rust-brown spots and is transparent.

Found exclusively on the twisted wire coral, which colonises the outer reefs with currents.

Always in pairs and occasionally juveniles.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

Photo 3 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

Photos 4 - 6 Johnny: Moalboal Philippines

 Maximum length: 5 cm

Depth: 3 - 15 m

White body white to light brown translucent.

The base of the caudal fin has horizontal stripes,

but can also have two dots that are only weakly connected. 

Found near the reef on the sand.

Not shy, only moves when approached closely.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean 

 Maximum length: 6 cm

 Depth: 6 - 54 m

Native to coral reefs from a depth of 6 metres,

where it feeds mainly on algae and aquatic plants.

Transparent greyish body with individual narrow yellow stripes,

the eyes are edged with dark pigments.

They have a small black band at the base of their tail.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

Maximum length: 6 - 7.5 cm

Depth: 2 - 40 m

Normally white reins extending from the rear edge of the mouth to the gill covers,

but also frequently found without markings.

Body with white and or black spots.

Tail root with dark horizontal stripes.

Lies on the sand near the reef.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

Maximum length: 2 - 4 cm

Depth: 3 - 30 m

Bright orange to translucent.

Along the lateral line is a row of small, white rectangles.

They can be found floating in small to large clusters in front of holes and crevices in the reef.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

Photo 2 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean 

 Maximum length: 3 cm

Depth: 12 - 40 m

Translucent, golden-yellow body with a steel-blue snout.

Found on coral blocks.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

 Maximum length: 3 - 4 cm

Depth: 3 - 46 m

Always hovering, very different behaviour to the usual gobies, which sit a lot on stones etc.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

 Maximum length: 4 cm

Depth: 6 - 30 m

Inhabits coral reefs deeper than 6 metres.

Feeds exclusively on aquatic plants and algae.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

 Maximum length: 7.5 cm

Maximum depth: 1 - 70 m

Native to sandy and muddy bottoms.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

Maximum length: 10 cm

Depth: 3 - 22 m

Lives in symbiosis with crayfish.

The crayfish is responsible for building the burrow

and the goby is responsible for guarding the entrance to the burrow.

If the goby notices danger from an approaching predator,

it signals this to the crayfish and both partners disappear into their refuge in a flash.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

Maximum length: 13 cm

Depth: 2 - 24 m

Found on mixed sand and gravel bottoms in symbiosis with a partner shrimp.

Numerous blue-edged red spots on the head, body and dorsal fins.

In addition, many small spots on the rest of the body

Photos 1- 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

 Maximum length: 9 cm

Depth: 1 - 25 m

This goby, like almost all of them, lives in symbiosis with crabs in caves in the sand.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 8 cm

Depth: 8 - 30 m

These can also always be found at the entrance to their burrow,

where they disappear in a flash in the event of danger.

Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: ?

Depth: ?

An as yet undescribed species.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 6 cm

Depth: 1 - 15 m

This species can be found in almost all seas.

Disappears in a flash into its cave when disturbed.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 6 cm

Depth: 5 - 15 m

These gobies live in symbiosis with a crayfish of the genus Alpheus.

Photo 1 Johnny: Moalboal Philippines

 Maximum length: 7 cm

Depth: 1 - 15 m

White body with brown side spots, its cave,

which it shares with various Alpheus shrimps, has several entrances.

Photo 1 Astrid: Hurghada Egypt

Photos 2 - 3 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

Maximum length: 5 cm

Depth: 0 - 40 m

The name refers to the comma-shaped line under the eye.

It lives on open bottoms of sand and fine silt.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

 Maximum length: 2.5 - 4 cm

Depth: 10 - 35 m

There are three different colour forms:

1. bright yellow V on the snout merging into pale

or blue longitudinal stripes on the sides of the body.

2. narrow white V merges into bluish-white longitudinal stripes on the sides of the body.

3. yellow V merges into yellow longitudinal stripes on the sides of the body.

Here it is variant 1

The mouth is undersized or shark-like.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

 Maximum length: 4.5 cm

Depth: 3 - 15 m

Bright yellow V on the snout, which merges into pale white longitudinal stripes

on the sides of the body.

This fish also occasionally cleans the diver's fingers.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

 Maximum length: 5 cm

Depth: 7 - 27 m

Lying in or on sponges, cheekily observing the surroundings.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

 Maximum length: 4.5 cm

Depth: 7 - 25 m

Upper side of the light-coloured snout with a bright yellow band.

On both sides of its body is a yellow longitudinal stripe

that extends from the root of the tail to the eyes.

There is also a bluish stripe on both sides,

from below the eyes to behind the pectoral fins.

Belongs to the genus of cleaner fish and with a little luck

and patience can also clean the fingers of a diver.

Photo 1 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean

Photos 2 - 3 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

  Maximum length: 2.2 cm

Depth: 1.5 - 15 m

Inhabits dead coral rock, but also coral reefs.

Difficult to find.

Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

 Maximum length: 13 cm

Depth: 1 - 20 m

Partially fused wide side bands.

Beautiful high rock fins with markings.

Favours muddy or sandy bottoms in coastal and lagoon reefs and bays with turbid water.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 7.5 cm

Depth: 2 - 30 metres

On its semi-transparent body there are orange spots

and 4 - 5 large dark spots on the sides of the body.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 7.5 cm

Depth 2 - 25 m

The habitats of the fine-spotted sand goby are reef surfaces

and sheltered lagoons with sandy bottoms and rubble areas.

There it preys on small food animals.

This goby is usually found in pairs in its territories.

Like many gobies, the fine-spotted sand goby also likes

to sit on small elevations such as corals in order to have a good view of its surroundings.

Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

Maximum length: 5 cm

Depth: 3 - 30 metres

Always waving its first dorsal fin.

Native to the Indo-Pacific from Indonesia to the Philippines.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 6 cm

Depth: 2 - 20 m

This is a fairly common species found in sheltered,

sandy areas up to seaward reefs, over sandy bottoms near rubble, rocks or corals.

It is occasionally found at depths of over 40 metres.

Photo 1 Astrid: Hurghada Egypt

Photo 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

 Maximum length: 7.5 cm

Depth: 1 - 50 m

A dark horizontal stripe runs from the top of the head through the eyes to the cheeks.

Above the pectoral fin, not always clearly visible - but good here,

a golden spot with a black border.

Very shy, quickly disappears into small holes and crevices when approached.

Photo 1 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean

Photos 2 - 3 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean

Maximum length: 6.5 cm

Depth: 1 - 25 m

Yellow body with bluish lines.

Habitat: Exclusively in branching Acropora corals.

Difficult to photograph as it hides very quickly deep in the coral.

Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

Photo 2 Astrid: Hurghada Egypt

 Maximum length: 3.5 cm

Depth: 3 - 20 m

Bright yellow Art.

Photo 1 Astrid: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

Photo 2 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

Maximum length: 12 cm

Depth: 1 - 20 m

Whitish body with many dark spots,

often arranged in a net-like pattern.

Not shy, sifts through the sand for small invertebrates

and often takes breaks, lying on the sand.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi

 Maximum length: 6.5 cm

Depth: 3 - 20 m

Dark body with narrow, yellow stripes.

Found in rich coral reefs, drop offs and patch reefs in sandy areas.

Always stays close to hiding places.

Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt

Photo 2 Johnny: Moalboal Philippines