Scissortail dartfish (Ptereleotris evides) care guide

Group
Marine fish
Other names
Blackfin dartfish, Scissortail goby
Family
Gobiidae (gobies; dartfishes sometimes placed in Microdesmidae)
Origin
Indian Ocean and western Pacific; reefs at 2–15 m
Water
saltwater
Maximum size
14 cm
Temperature
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
Salinity SG 1.023–1.026
Minimum tank
300 litres
Care level
beginner
Temperament
peaceful
Reef safe
yes

Care

A slender, pale blue-grey dartfish with a deeply forked, dark-edged tail that it flicks like scissors. It hovers above the reef in open water and dives into a bolt-hole when alarmed, so give it plenty of open swimming space above well-built rockwork with caves and a sand bed. Dartfishes are notorious jumpers: a tight-fitting lid or mesh cover is essential. It is shy at first and settles best with calm tankmates. It is found in the aquarium trade and is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Water figures here are general marine aquarium guidance, not species-specific: 24–27 °C, pH 8.1–8.4, salinity SG 1.023–1.026. Minimum tank size of about 300 litres is our estimate from the adult size and habits, not a published figure. Sources: Wikipedia, List of marine aquarium fish species (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listofmarineaquariumfishspecies); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptereleotrisevides). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A planktonic feeder that picks food from the water column. In the aquarium offer small meaty foods such as mysis, brine shrimp and quality marine flakes or pellets, two or three times a day.

Breeding

Breeding in home aquaria has not been reported in the sources used here.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful and reef safe; it ignores corals and invertebrates. Keep with other calm fish; boisterous or predatory tankmates will keep it hidden. Can be kept singly, in pairs or a small group in a larger tank.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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