Annie's Stiphodon - Stiphodon annieae

Annie’s Stiphodon (Stiphodon annieae)

Annie’s Stiphodon is a rare and attractive freshwater stream goby admired for its small size, grazing behaviour and colourful males, which can show blue, green or metallic tones when settled. This specialist goby is best suited to mature river-style aquariums with clean, oxygen-rich water, strong flow, smooth stones and established biofilm. It is peaceful with suitable tankmates, but it should not be kept in warm, stagnant or newly set up aquariums.

Common Name:
Annie’s Stiphodon, Annie’s Goby, Annie’s Dwarf Goby, Annie’s Stream Goby

Scientific Name (Latin):
Stiphodon annieae

Maximum Size:
Approximately 2.5–3 cm

Water Type:
Freshwater / Specialist stream habitat

Origin / Natural Habitat:
Annie’s Stiphodon originates from Indonesia, with the species first described from Halmahera and later recorded from Sulawesi.

In the wild, Stiphodon gobies are associated with clear, fast-flowing island streams where oxygen levels are high and stones are covered with natural biofilm and fine algae.

Like many sicydiine gobies, this species is amphidromous in nature. Adults live in freshwater streams, while larvae are believed to develop downstream in coastal or marine-influenced waters before juveniles return to freshwater.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 22–26°C
pH Range: 6.8–7.8
Hardness: Soft to moderately hard
Ammonia/Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: Kept low and stable
Oxygenation: High oxygen and strong water movement required

Temperament:
Peaceful

Annie’s Stiphodon is peaceful with suitable tankmates and is best kept with small, calm fish that enjoy similar clean, flowing water.

Males may display to one another and defend favourite stones or grazing areas, but serious aggression is unlikely when enough space, flow and hard surfaces are provided.

Diet:
Omnivore / Biofilm Grazer

Annie’s Stiphodon naturally grazes biofilm, soft algae, microorganisms and fine organic material from stones and other hard surfaces.

Supplement natural grazing with algae-based sinking foods, spirulina foods, fine sinking pellets, biofilm powders, gel foods and tiny frozen foods such as cyclops, daphnia or baby brineshrimp.

Do not rely on aquarium algae alone. A mature aquarium with established biofilm is strongly recommended.

Minimum Tank Size:
Approximately 45–60 litres for a small group

A longer aquarium with strong flow and plenty of hard grazing surfaces is preferred over a tall aquarium.

Good oxygenation, mature filtration, smooth stones and stable water quality are more important than volume alone.

Behaviour & Activity:
Annie’s Stiphodon spends much of its time resting on stones, glass, wood or other hard surfaces.

It moves in short bursts between grazing areas and often chooses spots with steady current and high oxygen levels.

Males may become more colourful when settled, especially when displaying to other males or females.

Community Suitability:
Specialist Community Fish

Annie’s Stiphodon is best kept in a specialist stream aquarium or cool-to-moderate tropical community with fish that enjoy clean, flowing water.

Suitable tankmates include small peaceful danios, White Cloud Mountain Minnows, hillstream-suitable rasboras, small gobies from similar habitats and some compatible hillstream loaches where space allows.

Avoid large fish, aggressive species, fin-nippers, puffers, cichlids, warm slow-water fish, discus, angelfish, gourami and any species that requires still, warm or low-oxygen water.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
This species needs clean, mature, oxygen-rich water with strong flow.

A river-style aquarium with smooth stones, rounded pebbles, driftwood, open grazing surfaces and strong surface agitation is strongly recommended.

Avoid newly set up aquariums, poor water quality, warm stagnant conditions and sharp substrate.

Provide mature biofilm growth and supplement the diet regularly with suitably small foods.

Make sure food reaches the lower levels and grazing surfaces, as faster fish may take food before the gobies can feed.

A secure lid is recommended, as small stream gobies can jump or climb when stressed.

This is a specialist species best suited to aquarists with experience maintaining river-style or hillstream aquariums.

Suitable for:
Intermediate to experienced

Availability:
Rare / specialist import, with availability depending on season and supplier.

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.