RED LIPSTICK GOBY (Sicyopus Rubicundus)

Can be kept in a community provided tankmates are chosen with care. Peaceful, pelagic species which naturally inhabit well-oxygenated streams such as Tanichthys, Microdevario, or smaller Danio species are the best choices for the upper levels, but we’ve also seen members of this genus being maintained with various characins, small poeciliid livebearers and freshwater shrimp from the genera Caridinia and Neocaridina.

Other bottom-dwellers can include small loaches from genera such as Gastromyzon, Pseudogastromyzon, Barbucca, or Acanthopsoides, and in high-turnover set-ups obligate torrent-dwellers like Annamia, Homaloptera, etc. Avoid those that feed aggressively or are territorial, e.g., many Schistura spp.



Bigger fishes are best omitted entirely although in large set-ups it may be possible to add a few non-predatory, surface-dwelling species. The majority of cichlids and other territorial fishes inhabiting the lower reaches should be avoided entirely though.

Sicyopus spp. only appear to be loosely territorial when breeding so several can be kept together if sufficient space and suitable foods are available, and other stream-dwelling gobies such as Stiphodon, Sicyopterus, Rhinogobius, or Schismatogobius spp. also make good companions.

Though males aren’t necessarily gregarious females tend to exist in loose groups meaning a single male with two or more females is the recommended minimum purchase. Females of different species will group together but males appear able to differentiate between them.

https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sicyopus-exallisquamulus/