Glossogobius

Glossogobius is a genus with 8 species in this atlas, catalogued in the Gobies & Gudgeons section, recorded from Indonesia, Australia, Philippines and 27 more countries. Adult sizes run from 4.5 in to 19.5 in. Every species below links to a full researched profile.

Species in atlas
8
Adult sizes
4.5–19.5 in
IUCN assessed
8 of 8
Recorded from
30 countries

About the genus

Glossogobius, the tank gobies, is a genus of true gobies (family Gobiidae) found across freshwater, brackish, and estuarine habitats through much of the Indo-Pacific. The atlas's countries for the genus, Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Fiji, Japan, Mozambique, and Papua New Guinea, span from the East African coast to Oceania, one of the broadest ranges of any goby genus in the atlas. These are elongated, large-headed, large-mouthed predators, generally mottled in sandy or olive tones, that lie in ambush on soft or sandy bottoms in rivers, lakes, and coastal lagoons. The atlas covers 8 species, with a substantial size range from about 4.5–19.5 in, noticeably larger than most gobies.

Several Glossogobius species, especially the tank goby (Glossogobius giuris) and the golden tank goby (G. aureus), are important food and subsistence-fishery species across South and Southeast Asia rather than aquarium staples; the genus has only a small aquarium following, mostly among brackish-water and biotope keepers wanting a large, predatory centerpiece fish. Three of the eight atlas species carry a CARES designation, and the IUCN picture is mixed: four rated Least Concern, one Near Threatened, and three not yet formally evaluated.

IUCN Red List: Near Threatened · 1 Least Concern · 4 Not Evaluated · 3CARES 3 on the priority list

The 8 species

Every Glossogobius recorded in this atlas. Each card links to a full researched profile — distribution, water parameters, and aquarium care, cited to primary sources.

Akihito & Meguro, 1975

Golden tank goby, Golden flathead goby

10 in SL · LC

(Weber, 1894)

8 in TL · NE

(Smith, 1937)

River goby, Rivier-dikkop

4.5 in TL · LC

(Valenciennes, 1837)

Celebes goby, Bal-la, Biyang bato

5.5 in SL · LC

(Aurich, 1938)

Yellow-finned goby

NE CARES

(Hamilton, 1822)

Tank goby, Bar-eyed goby, Flat-headed goby

19.5 in SL · LC

(Boulenger, 1900)

5.5 in SL · NT CARES

(Weber, 1913)

Matano goby

NE CARES

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How to cite

Aquarist Atlas (2026). Genus Glossogobius. Aquarist Atlas. https://www.aquaristatlas.com/glossogobius/

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