{"product_id":"yellow-watchman-goby","title":"Yellow Watchman Goby | Cryptocentrus cinctus","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Yellow Watchman Goby is a bright, characterful little reef fish that spends its day perched at the mouth of a burrow, darting for food and keeping watch. Reaching only 8–10 cm, it is peaceful, hardy and famous for pairing with pistol shrimp in a fascinating partnership. Best in a mature aquarium with a sand bed, live rock and a tight-fitting lid.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eNatural Habitat\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eCryptocentrus cinctus lives over sandy and rubble-strewn lagoon and reef floors of the western Pacific, sharing a burrow with a pistol shrimp. The shrimp digs and maintains the tunnel while the goby stands guard, warning of danger with a flick of its tail. Give it a deep sand bed, loose rubble and stable rockwork to recreate this behaviour.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAppearance\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis goby is a cheerful lemon to golden yellow, sometimes with faint blue speckling on the head and a stocky, blunt-nosed body with large watchful eyes and tall dorsal fins. Colour and condition improve with a settled burrow, good feeding and low stress. Some individuals show a paler grey-brown phase before colouring up.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTemperament and Compatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTemperament is peaceful. It is safe with almost all reef community fish and ignores corals, though it may squabble with other burrowing gobies unless the tank is large. It combines beautifully with a pistol shrimp. Watch only very small ornamental shrimp, which a larger goby might view as food.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eFeeding\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA carnivore that takes small meaty foods readily. Offer frozen mysis, enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood and quality marine pellets, feeding small amounts once or twice daily. A settled watchman goby feeds enthusiastically from the water column and around its burrow entrance.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCare Requirements\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eProvide a minimum aquarium of around 75 L, with 110 L or larger recommended, especially if pairing with a pistol shrimp. Keep temperature at 24–26 °C, pH 8.1–8.4 and salinity 1.020–1.026. A sand bed several centimetres deep, loose rubble and firmly seated rock let it burrow safely. A secure lid is essential, as watchman gobies are accomplished jumpers. It is fully reef safe.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eBreeding\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eCryptocentrus cinctus has been bred in captivity but only occasionally. Pairs deposit eggs inside the burrow, which the male guards, but the tiny larvae are difficult to rear and need specialist care. For most keepers the reward is watching natural burrowing and pairing behaviour.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSpecies Information\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003ctable\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCryptocentrus cinctus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYellow Watchman Goby (Yellow Prawn Goby)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWestern Pacific\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaximum Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8–10 cm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifespan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5–10 years with excellent care\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTemperament\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePeaceful\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBeginner to intermediate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinimum Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e75 L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecommended Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e110 L or larger\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCarnivore: mysis, enriched brine shrimp, chopped seafood and marine pellets\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e24–26 °C\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003epH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8.1–8.4\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable for marine fish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSalinity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1.020–1.026 specific gravity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSuitable For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReef and FOWLR aquariums with a sand bed\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReef Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReef safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable for marine aquariums\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e \u003c\/table\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSuitable Tank Mates\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuitable tank mates include clownfish, firefish, small wrasses, cardinalfish, chromis, blennies, other small peaceful gobies and, ideally, a pistol shrimp partner.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAvoid Keeping With\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAvoid keeping with large aggressive fish, predators big enough to eat it, and very small ornamental shrimp. Take care housing it with other territorial burrowing gobies in small tanks.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","offers":[{"title":"Small (1-5cm) \/ Imported","offer_id":55234148434211,"sku":"BA8771-S","price":260.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Medium (5-10cm) \/ Imported","offer_id":55234148466979,"sku":"BA8771","price":300.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Small (1-5cm) \/ Captive Bred","offer_id":55562726768931,"sku":"BA8771-S-CB","price":260.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Medium (5-10cm) \/ Captive Bred","offer_id":55562726801699,"sku":"BA8771-M-CB","price":300.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/yellow-watchman-goby-43090650530083.webp?v=1790306154","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/yellow-watchman-goby","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}