Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)

The Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus) is the classic shrimp goby, a chunky lemon-yellow bottom dweller with ice-blue speckles and a permanent grumpy-old-man expression that hobbyists cannot get enough of. Peaceful, reef-safe, and beginner friendly, it spends its day perched at the mouth of its burrow keeping watch, and it becomes the best show in the tank when paired with a Tiger Pistol Shrimp. We stock Small, Medium, and Large sizes as they come through. Browse the rest of our saltwater livestock and supplies to round out the tank.

Care Guide

• Tank size: 30 gallons or larger, with a footprint that gives it its own patch of floor to claim.
• Water parameters: 72 to 78°F, pH 8.1 to 8.4, salinity 1.020 to 1.026. Stability beats perfection.
• Aquascape: a sand bed with some rubble and rockwork is essential; this goby digs and reinforces a burrow to live in. A tight lid matters too, watchman gobies are documented jumpers, especially when settling in.
• Feeding: carnivore. Offer meaty frozen foods like PE Mysis and brine shrimp once or twice daily; most learn to take quality sinking pellets quickly.
• The pistol shrimp partnership: in the wild this goby shares a burrow with a nearly blind pistol shrimp. The shrimp digs and maintains the tunnel while the goby stands guard, flicking its tail to signal danger. Add a Tiger Pistol Shrimp and the pair will usually find each other within days.

Specifications

Compatibility

A model citizen with almost everything that swims above the sand. Great tank mates include the Firefish Goby, Royal Gramma, Blue Green Chromis, Banggai Cardinal, and cleanup crew inverts like the Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp. Keep only one watchman goby, or a bonded pair, per tank; it will squabble with other shrimp gobies and bottom-dwelling gobies over burrow rights. Its best friend is a Tiger Pistol Shrimp, the safest pistol shrimp pairing for a community reef.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Tiger Pistol Shrimp for the famous burrow-sharing partnership
• Piscine Energetics PE Mysis frozen food
• Xtreme Marine PeeWee Pellets
• Vitalis Marine Grazing Pellets

FAQ

Does it need a pistol shrimp?
No, it does perfectly well alone. But the goby and shrimp partnership is one of the coolest natural behaviors you can keep in a home aquarium, and the Tiger Pistol Shrimp is the classic, reef-safe partner.

Will it jump?
It can, especially in its first weeks. A tight-fitting lid or mesh screen is strongly recommended for any watchman goby.

Is it reef safe?
Yes. It will not touch corals. Expect some sand-moving and landscaping around its burrow, so seat rockwork directly on the bottom rather than on the sand.

Why did mine change color?
Yellow Watchman Gobies can shift between bright yellow and a grayish tone depending on mood, age, and gender changes. It is normal and not a sign of illness on its own.