All fish / Gobiidae

Black-ray Shrimp Goby

Stonogobiops nematodes

Also known as high-fin goby, hi-fin red banded goby, filament-finned prawn goby, antenna goby, barber pole goby, hifin goby, black ray goby, red banded goby, ヒレナガネジリンボウ, 丝鳍虾虎, 高鳍虾虎

A small, slender goby with a yellow head, white body crossed by diagonal dark bands and a tall first dorsal fin ending in a long black filament. It is popular for reef tanks because it lives in a shared burrow with alpheid pistol shrimp, which makes for fascinating behaviour.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

5 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

75 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, brine shrimp, copepods and small frozen or pellet foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: Seychelles and Indonesia to the Philippines and Bali

Breeding

Pairs lay eggs inside their burrow and the male guards them until they hatch. Spawning happens occasionally in home aquariums, but rearing the tiny planktonic larvae is very difficult.

Good to know

Shy and easily bullied, so keep with calm tankmates and a tight lid as it may jump. Best paired with a pistol shrimp such as Alpheus randalli and given fine sand to dig in.