Butidae is a family of sleeper gobies in the order Gobiiformes.

This means that the Eloetridae as formerly classified was paraphyletic and that its subfamilies should be raised to the status of families.

[3] The species in the Butidae are largely restricted to tropical and sub-tropical waters of Africa, Asia, Australia, and Oceania.

They are especially diverse in New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand where they can be important components of brackish and freshwater ecosystems.

[3] They are mostly quite small species but the marbled goby (Oxyeleotris marmorata) is a freshwater species of Buitdae from Southeast Asia that can grow to 65 cm (25.6 in) long and is an important food fish.