Description
Shotsilk Goby (Valenciennea spp. / “Shotsilk” Sand-Sifting Goby)
A sleek and hardworking marine fish, the Shotsilk Goby is admired for its delicate, silky appearance and constant sand-sifting behaviour. It plays an important role in maintaining a clean and oxygenated substrate, making it both practical and attractive in marine aquariums.
Compatibility:
Peaceful. Best kept with other calm community species such as clownfish, blennies, wrasses, and small tangs. Avoid aggressive or overly competitive tankmates that may prevent it from feeding properly.
Reef Compatibility:
Reef-safe. Completely harmless to corals and invertebrates. Its natural sand-sifting behaviour helps maintain a healthy substrate in reef systems.
Diet:
Omnivore/Detritivore – feeds by sifting fine sand for microfauna, detritus, and organic matter. Should also be supplemented with frozen foods such as mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and high-quality marine pellets. Feed 2–3 times daily if needed.
Water Parameters:
- Temperature: 24–27°C
- Salinity: 1.023–1.026 SG
- pH: 8.1–8.4
- Minimum Tank Size: 120L
Care Level:
Moderate – hardy once settled, but requires a mature aquarium with a fine sandy substrate and stable water conditions to thrive long term.
Top Tip:
Provide a deep, fine sand bed for natural feeding and burrowing behaviour. Ensure regular feeding even in well-established tanks, as they rely heavily on microfauna availability.
Click & Collect
Livestock will only be bagged once you arrive, or if you contact us in advance to request it ready beforehand.
Local Delivery
Order anything from our in-store range and have it delivered right to you.
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Minimum spend: £50
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Delivery from £15 - £30
- Range 0-25 miles from store
Distances are measured “as the crow flies”, not by road.
Once your order is placed, we’ll be in touch to arrange a suitable delivery date and time.
Please note, delivery may take a little longer as we often group orders together to build an efficient delivery run.
Important: If you’re ordering a large aquarium, please ensure someone is available to help unload the van on arrival.
Dry Goods Delivery
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DX Express: 1 working day, same-day dispatch before noon 0-75kg
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Express Pallet: 1–3 working days 75-500kg
If you'd like to add more items to an existing order that hasn't yet been dispatched, please place a Click & Collect order and leave a note asking us to combine the orders.
Please note: We currently only dispatch parcels Wednesday to Friday.
Pre-Order
Want the full details? Check out our Terms & Conditions.
Livestock Delivery
Thursday Delivery – £24
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Dispatched Wednesday afternoon
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Delivered Thursday before 1pm
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Order by Wednesday 12 noon
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Minimum spend: £50
Friday Delivery – £24
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Dispatched Thursday afternoon
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Delivered Friday before 1pm
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Order by Thursday 12 noon
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Minimum spend: £50
Saturday Delivery – £29
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Dispatched Friday afternoon
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Delivered Saturday before 1pm
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Order by Friday 12 noon
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Minimum spend: £50
📦 Want to Add to an Existing Order?
No problem! Just place a Click & Collect order and leave a note asking us to link it with your original one (as long as it hasn’t been dispatched yet).
🛒 Dry Goods Now Included!
You can now include dry goods in your livestock delivery – perfect for topping up supplies in one go.
❄️ Please note: We can’t send frozen food with livestock – please order frozen items separately.
⚠️ Delivery Exclusions
Unfortunately, we’re unable to deliver livestock to the following postcodes:
Scotland & Isles:
AB30–AB56, DD8–DD10, DG3–DG9, DG12–DG14, FK17–FK21, KA18–KA19, KA26–KA30, PA20–PA38, PA80, PH3–PH40
Cornwall Isles: TR21–TR25
All of the following postcodes are excluded:
BT, HS, IM, IV, JE, KW
Plus Channel Islands and Shetland Islands
Payment & Security
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