Flagtail Shrimp Goby Care Guide
Amblyeleotris yanoi is a Western Pacific prawn goby with a patterned yellow caudal fin that partners with the red-banded shrimp Alpheus randalli.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Amblyeleotris yanoi, the Flagtail Shrimp Goby, is a marine prawn goby of the Western Pacific. According to FishBase it has a whitish body with five diffuse light orange-brown bars and brown dorsal saddles, while the yellow caudal fin carries a reddish-orange central area and oblique blue bands. It associates with the red-banded alpheid shrimp Alpheus randalli.
Taxonomy
- Family: Gobiidae
- Genus: Amblyeleotris
- Scientific name: Amblyeleotris yanoi
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the Ryukyu Islands to Papua New Guinea. It lives on coastal sand flats, slopes and in deep lagoons at depths of 3 to 35 m, sharing a burrow with its shrimp partner.
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: deep sand bed 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.
Compatibility
A peaceful bottom-dwelling species that stays near its burrow. It pairs with pistol shrimp and suits calm tankmates such as clownfish, cardinalfish and tangs; aggressive predators and lionfish should be avoided.
Reef compatibility
Reef-safe. It does not harm corals and tends the sand bed; provide a deep sand area so it can dig the burrow it shares with a shrimp.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 27 August 2020).
Amblyeleotris yanoi Breeding Guide
Overview
Amblyeleotris yanoi Aonuma & Yoshino, 1996 is a reef-associated goby of the Western Pacific, ranging from the Ryukyu Islands to Papua New Guinea (FishBase). It lives on coastal sand flats, slopes and in deep lagoons at depths of about 3 to 35 m, associated with Alpheus randalli, the red-banded alpheid shrimp. Males reach about 13.0 cm standard length while females reach about 5.8 cm.
Sexing
Unlike most shrimp gobies, A. yanoi shows marked size dimorphism: males reach about 13.0 cm SL whereas females reach about 5.8 cm SL (FishBase), so the larger individual of a settled pair is typically the male. Beyond size, pairing behaviour remains the practical guide, with two compatible fish sharing one burrow 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 randalli lowers stress and keeps the fish feeding near the burrow entrance.
Breeding Setup
A breeding-oriented system reproduces the coastal sand-flat biotope with a deep, fairly fine sand bed and some rubble for tunnel support. Pairing with the red-banded shrimp Alpheus randalli 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. yanoi 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. yanoi 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.