ORA Captive-Bred Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)

Bring personality and fascinating natural behavior to your reef with the ORA Captive-Bred Yellow Watchman Goby. This peaceful bottom-dwelling goby is best known for its remarkable symbiotic relationship with certain pistol shrimp, making the pair one of the most entertaining partnerships to watch in a reef aquarium.

Yellow Watchman Gobies typically display golden-yellow coloration with small blue or turquoise markings around the head and dorsal area. ORA notes that captive-bred juveniles may initially display a steel-blue or gray coloration rather than yellow, so coloration can vary considerably between individual fish.

Care Information

Scientific Name: Cryptocentrus cinctus
Common Name: Yellow Watchman Goby
Aquaculture: Captive Bred
Breeder: ORA
Approximate Purchase Size: 1.25–1.5 Inches
Maximum Size: Approximately 4 Inches
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Reef Safe: Yes
Recommended Tank Size: 20 Gallons or Larger

The Goby & Pistol Shrimp Partnership

One of the biggest reasons to own this fish is its famous relationship with pistol shrimp.

The shrimp excavates and maintains a shared burrow while the sharp-eyed goby acts as lookout. The shrimp can maintain physical contact with the goby while working around the burrow, allowing the goby to signal danger and send both animals retreating to safety.

A pistol shrimp is not required to successfully keep a Yellow Watchman Goby, and pairing cannot be guaranteed, but providing an appropriate compatible shrimp can allow this fascinating natural behavior to occur in the aquarium.

Aquarium & Compatibility

Yellow Watchman Gobies are generally peaceful toward other fish but may become territorial toward other gobies, particularly as they mature. Provide a sandy substrate along with rockwork, rubble, caves, and protected areas where the goby can establish a territory or burrow.

A secure aquarium lid is strongly recommended, as gobies can jump.

Feeding

Yellow Watchman Gobies readily accept prepared aquarium foods. Offer a varied diet including frozen mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, and quality sinking marine pellets. Make sure food reaches the lower portion of the aquarium where the goby spends most of its time.

Captive-Bred by ORA

This Yellow Watchman Goby is captive bred by ORA and ships directly from ORA's facilities. Captive-bred fish are accustomed to aquarium conditions and prepared foods while providing an alternative to wild-collected livestock.

Live Fish Shipping

Live fish ship Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday via Priority Overnight in insulated packaging with appropriate temperature-control materials.

A flat $39.99 Live Animal Priority Overnight Shipping fee applies to all live animal orders regardless of order value.

Shipping may be delayed due to severe weather, extreme temperatures, holidays, carrier disruptions, or other conditions that could compromise livestock safety.

Arrive Alive Guarantee

Eligible livestock is protected by our Arrive Alive Guarantee. Any DOA must be reported with clear photographs within 12 hours of carrier-confirmed delivery.

Live animals naturally vary in size, coloration, markings, and appearance. Product photographs are representative and may not depict the exact individual received.