🐠 Spotted Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
A Subdued Body Decorated With Jewel-Like Spots Across the Head and Fins • A Regional Colour Variety of the Yellow Watchman Goby • A Characterful, Fully Reef-Safe Watchman
 
📋 A note on naming: the Spotted Watchman Goby is a regional colour variety of the popular Yellow Watchman Goby, originating from the Philippines, sharing the same scientific name but displaying a subdued body colouration rather than vivid yellow; this neutral backdrop beautifully accentuates the spotted, jewel-like pattern decorating its head and fins.
The Spotted Watchman Goby wears an amusing, perpetual frown, and likes to peek out from behind rocks and rubble. It comes from a wide distribution across the Indo-West Pacific, inhabiting silty and rubble bottoms of coastal intertidal reef zones, lagoons, and tidal pools. Every Spotted Watchman Goby we ship is feeding well.
This species forms a real symbiotic partnership with pistol shrimp, particularly the Tiger Pistol Shrimp, in which the shrimp maintains the shared burrow while the goby stands watch, alerting its nearly blind partner to potential threats. It rarely becomes aggressive toward other fish, but it's territorial toward its own kind, fighting unless paired as a mated couple. It's fully reef safe, and does best with plenty of loose coral rubble, ample swimming room, and a sand bottom for burrowing. It reaches up to 10cm, so a 115L tank suits it well.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Subdued Body With Jewel-Like Spots: A charming, characterful goby variety
🦐 A Symbiotic Pistol Shrimp Partnership: Stands watch while the shrimp maintains the shared burrow
🌿 Fully Reef Safe: Won't harm corals or invertebrates
😄 Characterful: Known for its amusing, perpetual frown
⚠️ Territorial: Best kept singly or as a mated pair