Wheeler's Shrimp Goby Care Guide
Amblyeleotris wheeleri is a widespread Indo-Pacific prawn goby that lives commensally with alpheid shrimp in reef rubble.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Amblyeleotris wheeleri, Wheeler's Shrimp Goby, is a marine prawn goby found widely across the Indo-Pacific. FishBase notes it is apparently the most common shallow-water species of its genus in coral reef areas. It lives as a commensal with alpheid shrimp, most often Alpheus ochrostriatus, and was described by Polunin and Lubbock in 1977.
Taxonomy
- Family: Gobiidae
- Genus: Amblyeleotris
- Scientific name: Amblyeleotris wheeleri
Habitat
FishBase records the species from East Africa to Fiji, north to southern Japan and south to the Great Barrier Reef. It occupies rubble areas near or within coral reefs, coastal sand slopes and deep lagoons, occurring at depths of 5 to 40 m but usually 5 to 15 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 and rubble for burrowing
- Lifespan: 4-8 years
Diet
A carnivore. In the aquarium it accepts meaty marine foods such as mysis and enriched brine shrimp, fed twice daily near its burrow.
Compatibility
A peaceful bottom-dweller that remains close to its burrow. It pairs with pistol shrimp and suits calm companions such as clownfish, cardinalfish and tangs; aggressive predators and lionfish should be avoided.
Reef compatibility
Reef-safe. It leaves corals undisturbed and helps oxygenate the sand bed; provide rubble over sand so it and a shrimp can excavate a burrow.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 11 March 2015).
Amblyeleotris wheeleri Breeding Guide
Overview
Amblyeleotris wheeleri (Polunin & Lubbock, 1977) is a reef-associated goby of the Indo-Pacific, ranging from East Africa to Fiji, north to southern Japan and south to the Great Barrier Reef (FishBase). It reaches about 10.0 cm standard length and is found in rubble areas near or within coral reefs, on coastal sand slopes and in deep lagoons, usually at 5 to 15 m, in symbiotic association with alpheid shrimps, most often Alpheus ochrostriatus.
Sexing
FishBase lists no maturity or external sexing data for this species. As an Amblyeleotris shrimp goby it forms monogamous pairs, so sex is inferred from a settled pairing rather than fixed markings: two compatible fish holding one burrow without sustained aggression are treated as a pair.
Conditioning
Conditioning relies on stable reef parameters and frequent feeding. As a carnivore, the goby takes small meaty foods such as enriched mysis, brine shrimp and finely chopped marine items roughly twice daily. A securely paired Alpheus shrimp lowers stress and keeps the fish feeding near the burrow rather than hiding.
Breeding Setup
A breeding-oriented system reproduces the rubble-and-sand-slope biotope with a deep sand bed and rubble the shrimp can build into a tunnel. Pairing with a compatible Alpheus shrimp such as A. ochrostriatus is central: the shrimp excavates and maintains the burrow while the goby acts as a lookout, the shrimp keeping near-constant antenna contact with the fish (Amblyeleotris, Wikipedia).
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Amblyeleotris gobies form monogamous pairs and lay demersal eggs inside the burrow, which the male guards until hatching (genus account). Species-specific clutch size and exact triggers for A. wheeleri are not given in the cited references and are omitted; a stable, well-fed pair with a settled shrimp partner is the practical prerequisite.
Egg & Fry Care
The male tends the demersal eggs in the burrow until they hatch, after which the larvae are planktonic (genus account). Raising these planktonic larvae requires a separate rearing tank with appropriate very small first foods and stable conditions; a detailed protocol for A. wheeleri is not published in the cited sources.
Common Challenges
Successful home breeding of Amblyeleotris is rare because the delicate eggs and small planktonic larvae demand specialised care. The larval phase is the bottleneck rather than pairing or settling, and a tight lid is advisable since shrimp gobies readily jump from open tanks.