Randall's Shrimp Goby Care Guide
Amblyeleotris randalli is a Western Pacific prawn goby noted for orange-striped body and a tall first dorsal fin bearing a black-and-white eyespot.
Overview
Amblyeleotris randalli, Randall's Shrimp Goby, is a marine prawn goby of the central Indo-Pacific. Its elongate cylindrical body is white banded with fine orange to yellow stripes, and the tall first dorsal fin displays a distinctive black-and-white eyespot when raised. It associates with snapping shrimp, generally Alpheus ochrostriatus, and was described by Hoese and Steene in 1978.
Taxonomy
- Family: Gobiidae
- Genus: Amblyeleotris
- Scientific name: Amblyeleotris randalli
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the Moluccas to the Solomon Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to the northern Great Barrier Reef, and Palau in Micronesia. It occupies patches of carbonate sand on clear-water reefs, usually at depths of 25 to 50 m.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Specific gravity: 1.024-1.026
- Carbonate hardness: 8-12 dKH
- Substrate: sand bed with rubble for burrowing
- Lifespan: 4-8 years
Diet
A carnivore that eats small crustaceans and small fishes passing close to its burrow in the wild. In the aquarium it accepts meaty marine foods such as mysis and enriched brine shrimp, fed twice daily.
Compatibility
A peaceful, bottom-dwelling species that hovers near its burrow. It pairs with pistol shrimp and is suited to calm tankmates such as clownfish, cardinalfish and tangs; aggressive predators and lionfish should be avoided.
Reef compatibility
Reef-safe. It does not bother corals; supply a sand bed with rubble caves so it can build and defend a shared burrow.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 26 August 2020).