Periophthalma Shrimp Goby
Amblyeleotris periophthalmus
A marine fish species of the family Gobiidae, valued by aquarists for its interesting behavior and beautiful coloration while guarding its blind shrimp companion in the sand.
Température de l’eau
22 - 27 °C
Valeur du pH
8.1 - 8.4
Type d'eau
Marin
Niveau dans le bac
Fond
Taille adulte
10,5 cm
Volume minimal du bac
>= 100 L
Groupe minimal
>= 1
Description de l'espèce
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Indo-Pacific Ocean, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to southern Japan. Typically found in shallow waters and reef areas rich in hiding places. Native to the tropical Indo-Pacific, this goby inhabits sandy areas of coral reefs, coastal bays, and lagoons at moderate depths.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Belongs to the family Gobiidae. Characterized by a body structure adapted to its active lifestyle, showing bright coloration. Size up to 10.5 cm. Classified in the family Gobiidae, it forms a famous symbiotic relationship with burrowing alpheid snapping shrimps for mutual survival.
Social Behavior: Active species with a peaceful temperament. Shows moderate to high territorial habits depending on sex and population density. It acts as a vigilant sentinel, standing guard at the burrow entrance while the nearly blind shrimp cleans and excavates the sand.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Males and females display visible differences in color pattern and vibrancy, especially during the courtship phase. Its body is pale gray to cream-colored, adorned with diagonal orange-brown bands and numerous small iridescent blue and red spots.
Soins, reproduction et cohabitation
Aquarium Setup: Requires a marine tank of at least 26 gallons (approx. 100.0 liters), decorated with live rocks to provide natural shelter. For sand-dwelling wrasses, a fine sand bed of at least 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) is essential. Provide a thick, soft sandy substrate of at least 5-8 cm mixed with shell rubble to allow the shrimp to construct stable burrows.
Diet and Feeding: Carnivorous. Feeds on zooplankton and small invertebrates near the substrate. It is recommended to feed the fish two or three times daily in small portions. Feed a variety of small carnivore foods, such as enriched brine shrimp, mysis, and micro-pellets, directed near the burrow opening.
Water Quality: Stable parameters: temperature 22.0-27.0°C, pH 8.1-8.4, SG stable between 1.020 and 1.025. Monitored nitrates and phosphates. Stable marine parameters are essential: temperature 24-28 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, with moderate bottom currents and standard salinity levels.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: Compatible with reef fish. Avoid housing with larger predators or highly aggressive tankmates. Highly compatible with peaceful reef tankmates. Avoid bottom-dwelling predators like groupers, scorpionfish, or aggressive dottybacks.
Aquarium Breeding: Demersal spawning. Forms stable monogamous bonds and spawns inside protected symbiotic tunnels. Not bred in captivity. Spawning occurs inside the burrow where eggs are guarded, but rearing the pelagic larvae requires specialized micro-foods.
Risks and Diseases: Sensitive to transport stress and high jump risk; requires a tightly fitted aquarium lid. Known to jump when startled; a secure mesh lid or cover is highly recommended to prevent the goby from jumping out of the tank.
Origine et répartition géographiques
Indo-Pacific Ocean, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to southern Japan. Typically found in shallow waters and reef areas rich in hiding places. Native to the tropical Indo-Pacific, this goby inhabits sandy areas of coral reefs, coastal bays, and lagoons at moderate depths.
Origine
Océans tropicaux et récifsAfrique et MadagascarAsie de l'Est
Profil de poisson
- Tempérament
- Territorial
- It is a peaceful, shy, and cautious fish that prefers to stay close to the safety of its established burrow. While it will bravely defend its immediate territory from other bottom-dwellers, it ignores fish swimming higher up. Providing plenty of rubble and a quiet environment helps it feel secure and behave naturally.
- Régime alimentaire
- Carnivore
- As a micro-predator, its natural diet consists mostly of tiny benthic crustaceans and zooplankton found near the substrate. In captivity, it eagerly accepts frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and sinking carnivore pellets. Providing a varied, high-quality meaty diet is critical for maintaining its health and vibrant coloration.
- Espérance de vie
- 3-5 years
- Taille adulte
- 10.5 cm
- Ratio des sexes
- Flexible
- There are no obvious external differences between males and females, making sexing this species visually almost impossible. They are best kept singly or as a confirmed mated pair to avoid territorial disputes. Placing multiple unsexed individuals in a small tank usually leads to aggressive territorial battles over burrow sites.
- Fréquence d'alimentation
- Twice daily
- Feeding small portions two to three times daily is recommended to mimic its natural, continuous foraging behavior. Because it rarely ventures far from its burrow, targeted feeding near its home may be necessary in a busy tank. Care should be taken to ensure it gets enough food without overfeeding the entire system.
- Charge biologique
- Medium
- This species has a minimal impact on the overall bioload of the aquarium due to its small size and sedentary lifestyle. It produces very little waste compared to more active, open-water swimmers. Routine maintenance and standard filtration are entirely sufficient to keep the water pristine.
- Courant
- Strong
- It favors gentle to moderate water flow, reflecting the calm sandy bottoms and rubble zones it inhabits in the ocean. Exceedingly strong currents can collapse its delicate burrow and make feeding difficult. A well-planned, indirect flow pattern allows the goby to thrive while keeping detritus from accumulating.
- Risque de saut
- Yes
- Like most gobies, this fish is easily spooked and possesses a strong instinct to jump when frightened or chased. A tight-fitting lid or a fine mesh cover is absolutely necessary to prevent it from leaping out of the aquarium. Keeping it in an open-top tank is highly risky and often ends poorly.
- Reproduction
- Oviparous
- Captive breeding of this species is extremely rare and technically demanding, primarily due to the difficulty of raising its microscopic pelagic larvae. In their natural habitat, they are substrate spawners that lay adhesive eggs deep within the safety of their burrow. The male takes on the responsibility of guarding and oxygenating the eggs until they hatch.
- Compatibilité et compagnons
- Reef safe
- It is a fantastic community fish for peaceful reef aquariums, coexisting easily with corals and small, non-aggressive tank mates. This fish forms a fascinating symbiotic bond with pistol shrimp, which provides an incredible behavioral display. Large or predatory fish must be avoided, as they will easily consume this small goby.
- Niveau dans le bac
- Bottom
- This bottom-dwelling fish spends the vast majority of its life resting on the sand bed or hovering just outside its burrow. It relies heavily on a deep sand substrate to create its home alongside its symbiotic shrimp partner. It will only dart higher into the water column momentarily to grab a passing morsel of food.
Modèles et paramètres scientifiques
FishBase
Fenêtre sur les données scientifiques officielles de l’espèce
FishBase v25.04Données synchronisées le : 15/06/2026
- Niveau trophique
- 3,4 ± 0,4 se
- Résilience
- Élevée (moins de 15 mois)
- Singularité phylogénétique (PD50)
- 0.5
- Relation bayésienne longueur-poids
- a = 0.00741, b = 3.09
- VulnérabilitéVulnérabilité faible (10 / 100)
Espèces associées
Recommandations regroupées par proches parents, compagnons et soins similaires.
