Effects of temperature (23, 26, 29°C) and salinity (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 ppt) on hatch success, growth, development, and survival of bigmouth sleeper Gobiomorus dormitor yolk sac larvae were determined. Hatch success was greater at lower temperatures (23°C) and salinities (0-10 ppt), while larval survival and growth were greater at 26°C and 0 ppt. Larvae reared at 29°C- 0 ppt developed rapidly but rarely survived 48-h post hatch, while larvae at 23°C- 0 ppt survived 120-h post hatch, developed slower. Salinity adversely affected larval survival and size at hatch, larvae reared at salinities 5 ppt or greater died within 12-h post hatch and larvae set at 0 ppt were significantly larger than larvae hatched at salinities 5 ppt or greater. The exogenously feeding larval stage was not achieved; however, this study provides valuable insight of the bigmouth sleeper early ontogeny and provides several techniques for improving future propagation attempts.