All fish / Gobiidae

Aurora Goby

Amblyeleotris aurora

Also known as aurora shrimp goby, aurora watchman goby, pink-barred goby, pinkbar goby, aurora prawn goby, polunin's shrimp goby, オーロラパートナーゴビー, オーロラゴビー, 红带虾虎, 极光虾虎

This slender goby is pale with five or so pinkish red bands across the body and a red and yellow patterned tail. Keepers value it for its colour and for the partnership it forms with an Alpheus pistol shrimp, sharing a burrow the shrimp digs while the goby keeps watch.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Single fish or a mated pair, ideally with a pistol shrimp

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, brine shrimp, chopped seafood, small pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Indian Ocean: East Africa, Seychelles, Maldives, Mauritius, Réunion and Chagos

Breeding

It lays eggs inside its burrow and the male guards them, but rearing the tiny pelagic larvae is very rarely achieved in home aquariums.

Good to know

Originally described as Cryptocentrus aurora, so this name is now a synonym. Give it a deep sand bed and a tight lid as it may jump, and avoid keeping it with aggressive fish or other burrowing gobies in small tanks.