Purple neon goby

Stiphodon atropurpureus

Males flash blue-green while grazing surfaces close to the stream bed.

Males have blue-green lateral iridescence; females are usually brown-striped. An inferior mouth and pelvic disc support grazing. The first dorsal lacks long filaments.

Adult length: Up to 5 cm (standard length, without the tail fin)
Water temperature: 22–26 °C
pH: 6.5–7.5
Hardness: 2–12 dGH

Natural habitat: Adults inhabit clear streams, feeding on biofilm on rock surfaces.

Avoid immature tanks without established grazing surfaces. Provide oxygenated flow and close escape gaps.

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Appearance and identification

Compare its surface-grazing mouth and food supply with the small-animal diet of Zhou’s scarlet goby. Separating it from similar blue Stiphodon, including S. semoni, takes more than colour; locality and scale characters help.

Floor and movement space

Leave lit rounded stones for biofilm, plus crevices and cover. A 60 × 30 cm base is suggested.

Aquarium environment

Use attached flow-tolerant plants sparingly enough to leave illuminated grazing surfaces. Maintain both biofilm and clean, oxygenated water.

Diet and feeding

Maintain mature surface growth and its small organisms, supplementing suitable sinking food when accepted. Occasional animal foods are not a complete long-term diet.

Same-species behaviour

Offer multiple feeding surfaces and monitor subordinate fish. Males may display and contest positions; aggregation is not persistent schooling.

Compatibility limits

Strong competitors can exclude it from food and resting surfaces.

Sources