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Related FAQs: Shrimp
Gobies, Shrimp Gobies 2,
Pistol Shrimp and Goby Biotopes,
&
Shrimp Goby Identification,
Shrimp Goby Behavior, Shrimp Goby
Compatibility, Shrimp Goby Selection, Shrimp Goby Systems, Shrimp
Goby Feeding, Shrimp Goby Disease,
Shrimp Goby Reproduction, &
Shrimp they associate with, Shrimp
Identification, Shrimp Behavior, Alpheid
(including Shrimp) Gobies, True Gobies, Gobies 2, Goby
Identification, Goby Behavior,
Goby Selection, Goby
Compatibility, Goby Feeding,
Goby Systems, Goby
Disease, Goby Reproduction,
Amblygobius
Gobies, Clown
Gobies, Neon
Gobies, Genus
Coryphopterus Gobies, Mudskippers,
Sifter
Gobies,
Related Articles: Gobioids,
Marine Shrimp, Marine
Scavengers, Alpheid (including Shrimp)
Gobies,
/The Conscientious Reef Aquarist
Shrimp or
Watchman Gobies
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By Bob Fenner |
Amblyeleotris randalli |
Shrimp-Goby Symbionts
The Pistol or Snapping Shrimps of the genus Alpheus,
family Alpheidae really "live-together" with fishes. Gobies in the genera
Amblyeleotris, Cryptocentrus, Ctenogobiops, Istigobius, Stonogobiops and more form mutualistic symbiotic
relationships with these crustaceans; the shrimp digging their shared burrow home, the
goby keeping a sharp vigil against predators. Partner gobies eat micro-fauna they find
near the bottom, the shrimps feed on what they find in their burrowing.
The shrimps are virtually blind and use their antennae for
partner goby communication at all times at the surface.
These partner, prawn, shrimp or watchman
goby fish/shrimp associations make for fascinating presentations. Successful habitats call
for broken rubble and coarse sand of two or more inches depth, or an artificial PVC pipe
burrow (See Michael), a single or pair of gobies matched with an appropriate
alpheid.
Genus Amblyeleotris: twenty three described species.
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Aurora Goby
03/31/2008
It just came to my attention that in your Shrimp Gobies page
(http://www.wetwebmedia.com/shrimpgobies.htm), you don't have the Aurora
Goby listed. Perhaps there is still debate as to which genus this fish
falls into, but it would seem most have agreed that it should correctly
identified as Amblyeleotris aurora.
I've had mine in a 12g nano for a few months now. He readily eats frozen
meaty foods and has been a nice, flamboyant addition to the mini-reef.
(Actually, he's the only fish in there).
Every time I write, I make sure to commend you on your efforts and make
sure you know how much you're appreciated. If the attached photo can be
used, please feel free to do so.
Thank you, again. Jason Wedehase
<<Hello Jason. Two superb photographs, thank you for sharing these with
us. I am sure they will be a valuable addition to the Goby database.
Regards, A Nixon>> |
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| Amblyeleotris diagonalis Polunin & Lubbock 1979,
the Diagonal Shrimpgoby. Indo-Pacific; East Africa, Red Sea to Indonesia,
GBR. To 8 cm. in length. Lives in association with the alpheid Alpheus
bellulus. Told apart from other similar-appearing shrimpgobies
by the thin diagonal lines on the head. N. Sulawesi pic. |
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| Amblyeleotris fasciata (Herre 1953), the Red-banded
Shrimp-Goby. Western central Pacific in distribution. To a little over
three and a half inches in length. Occasionally imported as an aquarium
species. |
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| Amblyeleotris guttata (Fowler 1938), the Spotted
Prawn-Goby. Western Pacific. To nearly four inches total length.
Found in coarse gravel in shallow reefs. One in Mabul, Malaysia,
another in captivity. |
 
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| Amblyeleotris gymnocephala (Bleeker 1853), the Masked
Shrimp Goby. Indo-west Pacific. To nearly six inches in length. One
in Pulau Redang, Malaysia in about ten feet of water, the other in N.
Sulawesi. |
 
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| Amblyeleotris latifasciata Polunin & Lubbock
1979. Western Pacific; Gulf of Thailand and the Philippines. One and
its alpheid prawn cohort photographed in Pulau Redang, Malaysia, another
in N. Sulawesi. |
 
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| Amblyeleotris marquesas Mohlmann & Randall
2002. Central Pacific; Marquesas Islands. Nuka Hiva pic (Taiohae
Bay). |
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| Amblyeleotris randalli Hoese & Steene 1978,
Randall's Prawn Goby. Indo-Australia; Moluccas to Micronesia. Found on
sand and fine rubble in burrows shared with Pistol Shrimp. Feeds on small
invertebrates near this opening. To three and
a half inches in length. Aquarium photos of a displaying specimen and its
alpheid symbiont, and a symbiont pair in N. Sulawesi. |
| Amblyeleotris steinitzi
(Klausewitz 1974), Steinitz' Prawn Goby. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to
Micronesia. To three inches in length. Always found in association with
the Pistol Shrimp, Alpheus djeddensis. This one off Dahab, in the
Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea.
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| Amblyeleotris sungami (Klausewitz 1969), Magnus'
Prawn Goby (the scientific species name spelled backward). Western Indian
Ocean; Red Sea, Seychelles, eastward. To four inches in length. This one
in N. Sulawesi. |
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| Amblyeleotris wheeleri (Polunin & Lubbock
1977), the Gorgeous Prawn Goby. To eight cm. Indo-Pacific; East Africa to
Fiji, GBR, Micronesia. Aquarium and Queensland, Australia images. |
 
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Genus Asterropteryx:
| Asterropteryx sp. In N. Sulawesi |
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Genus Cryptocentrus: Twenty two species.
| Cryptocentrus caeruleopunctatus |
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| Cryptocentrus cinctus (Herre 1936), the Yellow Prawn
Goby. West Pacific; Singapore to Micronesia. To three inches in length.
Aquarium images. A very common offering in the pet-fish interest. Come in
yellow and blue varieties. |
 
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| Cryptocentrus leptocephalus Bleeker 1876. Western
Pacific; Malaysia to New Caledonia. To four inches long. Aquarium images in
Fiji and New Jersey. |
 
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Genus Ctenogobiops: Six species.
| Ctenogobiops crocineus Smith 1959. Indo-west Pacific.
Red Sea to Micronesia, the Ryukyus. To 5.5 cm, 2 1/4 in. in length. Fiji
image. |
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| Ctenogobiops feroculus Lubbock & Polunin 1977,
the Sandy Prawn Goby. Indo-West Pacific; Red Sea to Micronesia. To two and
a half inches in length. Here with its alpheid symbiont in the
Maldives. |
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| Ctenogobiops tangaroai Lubbock
& Polunin 1977, the Tangaroa Prawn Goby. A popular shrimp goby species
in the aquarium interest. Tropical Pacific Ocean. To two and a half inches
in length. Aquarium image. |
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Genus Mahidolia:
| Mahidolia mystacina (Valenciennes 1837), the Smiling
Shrimp Goby. Indo-Pacific; To a mere 8 cm. in length. May be brown, tan or
overall yellow in color, males with taller first dorsals. Found in muddy
settings singly or in pairs in association with a grayish brown alpheid
shrimp. N. Sulawesi image. |
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Genus Stonogobiops: Five species; one common in the pet-fish trade
| Stonogobiops dracula Pollunin & Lubbock 1977, the
Dracula Prawn Goby. Western Indian Ocean: Seychelles, Maldives where it
lives in pairs symbiotically with Alpheus randalli. To 7 cm. in
length. Aquarium image by Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
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| Stonogobiops nematodes Hoese & Randall 1982, the
Filament-Finned Prawn Goby. Lives symbiotically with Alpheus randalli in
the Indo-West Pacific; Seychelles to the Philippines. To two inches in
length. Aquarium image. |
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| Stonogobiops xanthorhinica Hoese & Randall
1982, Yellow-nose Prawn Goby. To 5.5 cm. in length. Western Pacific;
Indonesia to Southern Japan to Micronesia. Fiji image. |
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Genus Tomiyamichthys: Three described species
| Tomiyamichthys oni (Tomiyama 1936), the Monster or
Fan Shrimp Goby. West Pacific; Malaysia, Philippines, Southern Japan. To
10 cm. in length. Found in burrows with Alpheus bellulus. N.
Sulawesi pic. |
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Genus Vanderhorstia: Nine described species
| Vanderhorstia ambanoro (Fourmanoir 1957), the
Twin-Spotted Shrimp Goby. Indo-West Pacific; eastern Africa to Samoa out
to the Micronesians. To a bit over five inches in length. This image
shot in Pulau Redang, Malaysia. |
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Bibliography/Further Reading:
Shrimp-Gobies, Symbionts with Alpheid Shrimps
Debelius, Helmut. 1986. Gobies in the marine aquarium, pt.
4: Partnerships. Today's Aquarium 4/86.
Michael, Scott W. An aquarist's guide to Shrimp Gobies.
AFM 5/95.
Stratton, Richard F. 1998. Watch out for Watchman Gobies. TFH 6/98.
Zoffer, David J. 1994. The Shrimp Gobies. TFH 10/94.
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