Railway Glider Goby – Valenciennea helsdingenii – Small

The Railway Glider Goby (Valenciennea helsdingenii) is dramatically colored and far less common than many of its relatives. Its long body is white with two brown horizontal stripes that run from the snout to the tail and a dark spot on the dorsal fin. They are also sometimes referred to as the Twostripe Goby.

This fish is best known as part of the group of gobies known as sandsifter or sleeper gobies. They take mouthfuls of the substrate and sift it out through their gills, searching for food. This can help keep the substrate aerated, and may help prevent the build-up of organic debris that leads to high nitrate levels, algae, and cyanobacteria (\