Pinkbar Shrimp Goby (Amblyeleotris aurora)

The Pinkbar Shrimp Goby (Amblyeleotris aurora), also called the Aurora Goby, is one of the prettiest shrimp gobies in the hobby: a pearly white body crossed by soft orange-pink bars, a golden face, and a showpiece tail in yellow with blue-ringed orange spots. It comes from the sandy lagoons of the Western Indian Ocean, where it shares a burrow with a pistol shrimp and stands guard at the entrance. Peaceful, reef safe, and full of personality once it settles. Browse the rest of our saltwater livestock and supplies to build out the tank.

Care Guide

• Tank size: 30 gallons or larger. It reaches about 4 inches and spends its day perched at the mouth of its burrow, so floor space matters more than height.
• Sand bed: give it at least 2 to 3 inches of fine to medium sand, deeper in one spot if you can, plus a few flat rocks or rubble to dig under. A fine reef sand like CaribSea Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand is ideal.
• Lid is a must: shrimp gobies dart straight up when startled and will jump from an open tank. Use a tight lid or a mesh screen.
• Water parameters: 72 to 78°F, pH 8.1 to 8.4, salinity 1.020 to 1.026, dKH 8 to 12. Keep conditions stable.
• Feeding: a carnivore that snaps food out of the water near its burrow. Offer small meaty foods like PE Mysis, Hikari Mysis, and enriched brine shrimp two or three times a day, aimed so food drifts past its burrow.
• Settling in: expect it to hide for the first several days while it picks a spot and starts digging. Add it before boisterous fish so it can claim a burrow without competition at feeding time.

The Pistol Shrimp Partnership

In the wild, the Pinkbar Goby lives with an alpheid pistol shrimp. The nearly blind shrimp digs and maintains the burrow, keeping one antenna on the goby, and the sharp-eyed goby flicks its tail to warn the shrimp when danger is near. Watching the pair work together is one of the best shows in a reef tank. Good partners include the Candy Cane Pistol Shrimp, its classic match, and the Tiger Pistol Shrimp. A shrimp is not required, and the goby does fine on its own, but the pairing brings out much more natural behavior.

Specifications

Compatibility

The Pinkbar Goby gets along with nearly every peaceful reef fish: clownfish like our Darwin Misbar Ocellaris Clownfish, fairy wrasses like the Fine-Spotted Fairy Wrasse, the Royal Gramma, the Firefish Goby, cardinals, and small blennies. It leaves corals, clams, and cleaner shrimp alone. Avoid large predators, big triggers, and pushy dottybacks, which will keep it hiding in its burrow.

Keep one shrimp goby per burrow unless you buy a mated pair. Other Amblyeleotris and watchman gobies will fight over the sand in smaller tanks. Looking at other shrimp gobies? See our Pink Spotted Watchman Goby, Yasha Goby, and HiFin Banded Goby.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Piscine Energetics PE Mysis, the staple meaty food for shrimp gobies
• Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Mysis Shrimp, an easy everyday frozen food
• Ocean Nutrition Frozen Brine Shrimp Plus, a good conditioning treat
• CaribSea Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand, the right grain for digging
• Candy Cane Pistol Shrimp, its natural burrow partner

FAQ

Does it need a pistol shrimp?
No. It lives happily alone and will dig its own shelter under a rock. Adding a pistol shrimp such as the Candy Cane Pistol Shrimp lets you see the two share a burrow, which is the main reason many people buy one.

Is the Pinkbar Goby reef safe?
Yes. It eats small meaty foods and ignores corals, clams, and ornamental shrimp.

Why is it always hiding?
New shrimp gobies stay close to cover for the first week or so. Once it has a burrow and trusts the tank, it sits out front at the entrance most of the day.

Can I keep two?
Only as a mated pair. Two unrelated shrimp gobies will usually fight over territory unless the tank is large and has plenty of sand.