Home / Fishes / Gobies and sleepers / Peacock gudgeon
No federal permit to keepPeacock gudgeon
Tateurndina ocellicauda
Fishes › Gobies and sleepers (Gobiiformes) › Eleotridae (Sleeper gobies and gudgeons)
The peacock gudgeon or peacock goby (Tateurndina ocellicauda) is a tropical freshwater species of fish in the family Eleotridae that is endemic to the eastern part of Papua New Guinea.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 3.0 in / 7.5 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 72–79°F (range recorded for this species).
- Hardness: 0–7 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 18 × 12 in (roughly 11 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–79 °F, pH 6.5–7.5, 5–10 dGH.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “This species prefers soft, slightly acidic water and lots of cover.”
- Diet: “Will usually accept dried food but much prefers small live and frozen stuff, such as bloodworm, daphnia, brineshrimp etc.”
- Tankmates: “A little territorial with its own kind but is suitable for many communities of small, peaceful fish.”
- Breeding: “Easily bred under the right conditions.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Sleeper gobies and gudgeons
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: The sourced freshwater gudgeons inhabit lowland streams, ponds and rivers, with peacock gudgeons associated with rainforest waters and southern purple-spotted gudgeons with slow, weedy habitats. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For Tateurndina ocellicauda, provide at least a 45 x 30 cm base; the cited 45 x 30 x 30 cm aquarium accommodates a couple of adult pairs.
- For Mogurnda adspersa, use the larger cited 120 x 30 x 30 cm aquarium; do not apply the peacock gudgeon dimensions to other sleepers.
- Provide dense plants, wood and hiding places; dark substrate and floating cover particularly suit peacock gudgeons.
- Filter for clean water while avoiding strong current in these two species' displays.
- Fit a tight lid without gaps: both sourced species jump.
- For M. adspersa, supply flat spawning surfaces and separate brood-rearing space; the male guards eggs and adults can eat fry.
Diet
- Small live or frozen bloodworms for peacock gudgeons.
- Daphnia and brine shrimp, sized to the fish.
- Suitable dried aquarium foods supplemented with live or frozen foods; M. adspersa accepts a broad range.
Social life
- Peacock gudgeons suit compatible pairs or small groups; M. adspersa is territorial and can swallow small tankmates, although small groups are possible in sufficiently spacious housing.
Health watch
- Ammonia toxicity from immature or poorly maintained filtration.
- Freshwater white spot disease, a general aquarium-fish risk.
- Nutritional deficiencies from an unsuitable or monotonous ration.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It can be found in schools hovering over the substrate in rivers and ponds. This species can reach a length of 7.5 cm (3.0 in).
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Peacock gudgeon” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Stays near the bottom. Inhabits rivers and ponds. Forms schools that hover over the bottom. Commonly found in rainforest streams. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 72–79 °F (22–26 °C), pH 7, hardness 7 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: nesters. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 72–79 °F.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The peacock gudgeon or peacock goby (Tateurndina ocellicauda) is a tropical freshwater species of fish in the family Eleotridae that is endemic to the eastern part of Papua New Guinea. It can be found in schools hovering over the substrate in rivers and ponds. This species can reach a length of 7.5 cm. It is currently the only known member of its genus. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Wild diet | T. ocellicauda exhibit suction feeding as they prey upon insects, insect larvae, and small crustaceans. In captivity they will accept Brine Shrimp and Bloodworms. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Reproduction | Prior to spawning a pair selects and cleans a nest site, usually in a rocky crevice. Female deposits about 30 eggs. Male guards and fans the eggs. — FishBase |
| Biology | Inhabits rivers and ponds. Forms schools that hover over the bottom. Commonly found in rainforest streams. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 18 × 12 in (about 11 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Tateurndina ocellicauda Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Mogurnda adspersa Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
