Yellow Watchman Goby

Cryptocentrus cinctus

(13)

Suggested Tank

30+ gallons

Max Size

4 inches

Difficulty

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Description

The Yellow Watchman Goby is a captivating, small, saltwater fish known for its bright yellow color and unique behavior. It is popular among aquarists due to its entertaining antics and ability to form symbiotic relationships with pistol shrimp.

Reef Safe

Yes. It is a good choice for a reef tank as it will not harm corals or invertebrates.

Environment

The Yellow Watchman Goby prefers a tank with plenty of live rock for hiding and a sandy substrate for burrowing. It thrives in a well-established aquarium with stable conditions.

Behavior

This goby species is known for its burrowing behavior. It often forms a symbiotic relationship with pistol shrimp, with the shrimp digging a burrow and the goby standing guard. The Yellow Watchman Goby is a peaceful fish and tends to be shy, often hiding in its burrow when threatened.

Information might not be complete or accurate. Help the community by suggesting corrections.

Owner Reviews

Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Frozen or pellet food.

Fun fish that occupies a different niche in the tank. Best kept with a pistol shrimp, together they are super fun. With them you will have to be mindful of corals placed on the sand bed, as they can get covered with sand during excavations. Mine even spawned recently, which was unexpected and exciting. Overall a fun and goofy fish to watch in your aquarium.

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Hides Frequently
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Easy
Min Tank Size: 20 Gallons
sgraber09

Seth

@sgraber09

2 months ago
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Brian.shrimp.

Beautiful

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Hides Frequently
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Easy
Min Tank Size: 30 Gallons
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Shrimp brine

Very cool fish love to watch

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Moderate Visibility
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Easy
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Fish pellets and frozen shrimp

Small great fish with a fun personality.they can hide a little but once you get to feeding, they are voracious eaters

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Hides Frequently
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Easy
Min Tank Size: 30 Gallons
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Eats anything

Paired with tiger pistol shrimp. Sits at the entrance(s) to the burrow and stares at the world. Tends to like openings that have good water flow where food sweeps by. Under blue lights, the blue spots on the body really pop. Will quickly duck back into his burrow when larger fish swim by, but usually quickly reappears. Difficulty of care listed as medium due to the fact that pistol shrimps require a decent sand bed to dig in and can potentially collapse unsteady rock work. If kept without a shrimp, super easy to care for. Pros: lots of personality, awesome relationship with pistol shrimp, bold yellow coloration Cons: depending on burrow placement may not always be visible, can be skittish Availability: usually available, sometimes already paired with a shrimp (mine was)

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Moderate Visibility
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Medium
Min Tank Size: 20 Gallons
MaxB.

Max B.

@MaxB.

1 year ago
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Hikari marine carnivore pellets, pe mysis pellets, tdo chromaboost

I love my yellow watchman goby, he is always poking his head out of the cave and sometimes comes out of the cave to perch on a pile of sand to be on lookout while his tiger pistol shrimp buddy is excavating. It’s a great symbiotic relationship to watch but there are a few things you need to be aware of before buying. 1. This fish is a carnivore. Take this into consideration when feeding. 2. You need a lot of rock work and hiding holes for the goby to feel safe, regardless of whether you get a pistol shrimp with it. The more hiding spots and cover it has, the more courageous and visible it will be as it knows it safe. 3. This fish will probably not come up to feed, so make sure it gets its share of food by ensuring sinking pellets get in front of its cave or you target feed it using something like a long thin baster (this is what I do) Overall, this is a fun, great, and easy fish to keep, and I would definitely recommend it for beginners! 5/5

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Moderate Visibility
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Medium
Min Tank Size: 15 Gallons
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Pellets mysis, ETC

My goby is paired with a tiger pistol shrimp. Rarely seen but when I see him it’s amazing how the shrimp and colorful goby work together will hide if they see other fish’s so I would not but it in a busy tank.

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Hides Frequently
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Medium
Min Tank Size: 25 Gallons
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Frozen and pellets

Cool looking small starter fish except I thought mine was going to turn yellow when I got it home because I thought it was just stressed at the store but turns out I got the brown gray color watchman which some people say is a female but idk. I mostly only ever see its head poking out maybe would be seen more often in a smaller tank. Definitely don’t buy if you are looking for an active swimmer.

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Hides Frequently
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Easy
Min Tank Size: 20 Gallons
Koco217

Koco

@Koco217

1 year ago
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👎 No
What You Feed: Pellets and frozen

Beautiful colors, but is not usually that visible. Feeding these fish can be challenging based on other tank mates.

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Hides Frequently
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Medium
Min Tank Size: 20 Gallons
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: PE Mysis

I can see this being a fun addition to a smaller aquarium but they tend to get lost in larger ones. In a smaller aquarium they can have an impact on turning over the sand and making it seem cleaner, but in a large one it doesn’t have this effect.

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Hides Frequently
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Easy
Min Tank Size: 30 Gallons
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Mysis

Great start goby highly suggested for newcomers

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Moderate Visibility
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Easy
Min Tank Size: 20 Gallons
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Pellets, mysis, copepods, any type of meaty food

This fish spends most of its time on the bottom of the tank. Can be paired with a pistol shrimp. Feeding this fish can be a bit tedious.

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Moderate Visibility
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Medium
Min Tank Size: 26 Gallons
milld119

Dave

@milld119

1 year ago
Overall Rating:
Would Buy Again: 👍 Yes
What You Feed: Mysis shrimp, TDO

This fish really lives his pistol shrimp pal. They are never far from each other.

Reef Safe: Yes
Visibility: Moderate Visibility
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Easy
Min Tank Size: 30 Gallons

For Sale

Price History

Average Price:
$ 39.73
Image Title Price Company Sold Date Action
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
$ 30.00 Reef Beauties Dec 6, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 40.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 6, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
$ 60.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 6, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
$ 25.00 Aqua SD Dec 6, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
$ 30.00 Reef Beauties Dec 5, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 40.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 5, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
$ 60.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 5, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
$ 25.00 Aqua SD Dec 5, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
$ 30.00 Reef Beauties Dec 4, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
$ 60.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 4, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 40.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 4, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
$ 25.00 Aqua SD Dec 4, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
$ 30.00 Reef Beauties Dec 3, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 40.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 3, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
$ 60.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 3, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
$ 25.00 Aqua SD Dec 3, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
$ 30.00 Reef Beauties Dec 2, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 40.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 2, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
$ 60.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 2, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
$ 30.00 Aqua SD Dec 2, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
$ 30.00 Reef Beauties Dec 1, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 40.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 1, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
$ 60.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Dec 1, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
$ 30.00 Aqua SD Dec 1, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 45.00 Candy Corals Dec 1, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
$ 30.00 Reef Beauties Nov 30, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 40.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Nov 30, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
$ 60.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Nov 30, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
$ 30.00 Aqua SD Nov 30, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
$ 28.00 Reef Beauties Nov 29, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 40.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Nov 29, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
$ 60.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Nov 29, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
$ 30.00 Aqua SD Nov 29, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
$ 28.00 Reef Beauties Nov 28, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 40.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Nov 28, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
$ 60.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Nov 28, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
$ 30.00 Aqua SD Nov 28, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus Cinctus)
$ 28.00 Reef Beauties Nov 27, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
$ 40.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Nov 27, 2025 View
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
Yellow Watchman Goby (Captive Bred)
$ 60.00 Dr Reefs Quarantined Fish Nov 27, 2025 View

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Yellow Watchman Goby

Cryptocentrus cinctus

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