All fish / Gobiidae

Diagonal Shrimp Goby

Amblyeleotris diagonalis

Also known as diagonal shrimpgoby, diagonal watchman goby, diagonal banded prawn goby, diagonal goby, yes, ハチマキダテハゼ, 斜带钝塘鳢

A slim, pale goby crossed by slanting orange to brown bands, with small yellow and blue spots on the head. It is kept for its fascinating partnership with Alpheus pistol shrimps, sharing a burrow that the shrimp digs while the goby keeps watch.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

75 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a mated pair, ideally with a pistol shrimp

Diet

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

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Indonesia, Philippines and northern Australia

Breeding

Pairs lay eggs inside the burrow, guarded by the male, and the larvae are pelagic. Spawning sometimes happens in aquariums but rearing the larvae is very rarely achieved.

Good to know

Needs a deep sand bed and a tight lid, as startled gobies may jump. May quarrel with other burrowing gobies in small tanks.