Sleeper Banded Bullet Goby
Amblygobius phalaena
Price range: $34.99 through $46.99
| Stock | Variations | Price | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Only 6 left | 2.25 - 4.25" - SSC Certified - Central Pacific | Original price was: $66.99.$34.99Current price is: $34.99. |
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| Out of Stock | 2.25" or smaller - SSC Certified - Central Pacific | Original price was: $61.99.$32.99Current price is: $32.99. | Email me | |
| Only 1 left | 2.25 - 4.25" - Indo-Pacific | Original price was: $88.99.$46.99Current price is: $46.99. |
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Full guarantee terms →Ships Monday – Thursday for next-day arrival at your nearest FedEx Hold location — typically ready by 9 AM. We monitor every delivery.
Shipping details →
Monday – Friday 8 AM – 9 PM
Saturday 12 PM – 4 PM
Sunday 12 PM – 9 PM
Healthy, stable animals from vetted suppliers — inspected before packing, shipped overnight. Decades of experience built this model so we can deliver premium livestock at 30%+ less than you'd pay elsewhere.
| Care Level | Easy |
|---|---|
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Reef Safe | Yes |
| Functional Benefit | Sand Sifting |
| Diet Type | Omnivore |
| Mininum Tank Size | 30 gallons |
| Max Size | 6 inches |
| Temperature | 72–78°F |
| pH Range | 8.1–8.4 |
| Specific Gravity | 1.022–1.025 |
The Sleeper Banded Bullet Goby (Amblygobius phalaena) is a sand-sifting goby that helps keep the top layer of your sand bed turned over as it searches for tiny foods. It has a yellow body with bold brown bands, plus a green-yellow head marked with fine blue and orange dots and dashes. Often called the Bullet, Brownbarred, or Dragon Goby, it’s a bottom-focused reef fish that stays active along open sand.
What You’ll Observe:
- Steady cruising over the sand bed, taking mouthfuls of sand and “sifting” it back out in short bursts
- A favorite home base under rock edges or rubble where it settles between foraging passes
- Regular laps across the tank bottom, with frequent stops to pick through sand and small patches of growth on surfaces
- Noticeable “landscaping” as it shifts small rubble and shapes a burrow entrance over time
Provide a mature aquarium with open sand, stable rockwork, and a few areas of loose rubble so it can burrow and sift comfortably. Feed a mixed menu (mysis, enriched brine, and quality sinking prepared foods) and aim some portions toward the bottom so it can join in easily. It does best with calm tankmates, and pairs work well when introduced together in a layout with more than one burrow option.
Is it normal for this goby to disappear after I add it?
Yes—many sleepers settle into a burrow and may spend stretches of time out of sight before establishing a regular “patrol route” across the sand.
Will it constantly remake my sand bed, or does it calm down?
Most keepers see the heaviest digging early on, then a more consistent routine once it has a preferred burrow and work area.
Does it pair with a pistol shrimp like a watchman goby?
This species is not the classic shrimp-partner type; it may share space near other burrows, but you shouldn’t expect a true shrimp-goby partnership.
Why does the water look hazy when it starts sifting?
Fine particles can get stirred up at first; as the sand bed gets worked and filtration catches the fines, the tank typically looks clearer again.
Will it actually graze nuisance growth, or is it only moving sand?
Along with sand sifting, many hobbyists observe it picking at small patches of film and other growth as it forages across the bottom and nearby surfaces.
Each fish is checked for strong appetite and activity before we approve it for your tank.
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