Yellow Watchman Gobies, also known as the Yellow Shrimp Goby, are relatively easy to keep and peaceful fish often kept in saltwater aquariums. Their vibrant yellow coloration and light speckles make them fascinating fish to keep in fish tanks. The biggest charm to this species is its sandsifting behavior. They love to sift through sand and create burrows along rockwork.
Yellow Watchman Gobies get to be about 4 inches (10.16 cm) in length when in adulthood, which makes them a nice medium-sized goby species. This article will go into the care required to keep a Watchman Goby.
Aquarium Requirements
The Yellow Watchman Goby spends most of its time in the sand bed or inside of its burrow. You will rarely see it come up. I only really see them leave the sand bed when chasing food or chasing fish away from their territory. Because of this, a nice deep sand bed is incredibly important for this fish. I would push to have a sand bed at least 3 inches deep. Make sure your live rock is also touching the glass or sitting on a piece of egg crate. This is recommended so that when the Watchman Goby digs, the rock does not fall on it due to instability.
This fish species is known to dart up and jump out of aquariums when startled. It is recommended to place a well-fitted lid on top of your aquarium. Somehow fish always manage to find the smallest holes to jump out of, so a good lid will help prevent that.
Is the Yellow Watchman Goby Reef Safe?
The Yellow Watchman Goby is reef-safe. It normally stays to itself and should not bother coral, shrimp, or crabs. However, this fish may shift coral lying in the sand or slightly bury it.
Do Watchman Gobies Sift Sand?
Watchman Gobies sift sand around their burrows. They do a great job of keeping the sand around their burrows clean through sifting. Areas outside their territory are likely not touched.
Water Parameters
Ideally, you’ll want to keep water temperatures between 76° and 78°F, but Watchman Gobies tolerate temperatures ranging from 72° and 78°F. Maintaining stable water parameters within the recommended ranges is essential for ensuring the happiness and longevity of your fish. DKH should range between 8 and 12 in your saltwater fish tank. The pH level of your aquarium will fluctuate between day and night cycles but should range between 8.1 and 8.4. You can check the salinity level of your aquarium with many different tools. Take a look at “Different Salinity Reading Tools for Saltwater Fish Tanks” for more information on these tools, but your salinity should be between 1.020 and 1.025 sg.
Food & Diet
Yellow Watchman Gobies are carnivorous by nature. In an aquarium, they are not incredibly picky eaters and will eat food such as Mysis Shrimp, Brine Shrimp, and many other meaty foods. From experience, I have also seen them eat Pellet Food such as New Life Spectrum Marine Formula but they will gladly eat most foods that are offered. Because it is a bottom-dwelling fish, it is often outcompeted for food, so it is recommended to observe and make sure your goby eats food that is put into the fish tank.
It will also consume food while it is sifting sand. There are often really small copepods in sand or algae growing which the Watchman Goby will consume. However, if you are having a picky goby check out 4 Tricks To Feed Stubborn Gobies and Jawfish.
Tank Mates
The Yellow Watchman Goby should do well with most other peaceful saltwater fish. They should do great with Clownfish, Wrasses, Dwarf Angels, Chromis, and many other species of fish. They will be fine with larger fish like Tangs, Foxfaces, and Rabbitfish. Trouble may arise if you introduce other gobies or jawfish into the aquarium. The Watchman Goby will compete with these fish for territory which is stressful for both parties.
The Yellow Watchman Goby and Pistol Shrimp make excellent companions in a fish tank. I would recommend adding a Pistol Shrimp into your aquarium with your Watchman Goby if possible. The Goby and Shrimp have a symbiotic relationship and it is incredible to observe in an aquarium.
Breeding
It is possible to breed Watchman Gobies in an aquarium. However, I do not have any experience with it so cannot provide information on this topic. It is almost impossible to distinguish between males and females, but if you’re lucky, you may get a breeding pair!
Final Notes
Watchman Gobies are excellent additions to both fish-only and reef aquariums. They usually keep to themselves but are willing to defend their territory from invaders. If you are looking for a little burst of yellow, consider adding this goby to your aquarium. If not, check out more saltwater fish by following this link.
Image by Haplochromis on wikiMedia
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