Moose & Squirrel? Nope, Goby & Shrimp... (04/18/03)
Thank you in advance for any assistance you might provide....
<Ananda the goby-fan here tonight...>
I am looking for a scientific name of a partner goby that I have in my tank.  
<Detective work is fun...!>
It was called a "Yasser Haji" goby.... who knows if the spelling is good or even accurate.  
<Well, Mr. Arafat would agree with the spelling of Yasser, and others might like the spelling of Haji, but the gobies sure don't know why they're saddled with such a name... nor do I. So far, Google searches on any combination of "Yasser", "Haji", and "goby" are turning up nothing.>
He appears to be very similar to a Stonogobiops nematodes, although he has horizontal red stripes on a white background with a mottled red and white face.  He has the same filamentous fin.  It appears to extend almost as long as his body, which is less than 2" long.  He also has a yellowish tail fin.  
<Ah, now we're getting somewhere. In Scott Michael's book "Marine Fishes", the Stonogobiops nematodes is on p. 355. Flipping the page, I see what I think is your fish, listed as "Stonogobiops sp." on p. 356. The "sp." designation means it hadn't been given a species designation yet. But Fishbase.org has a handy search feature. A search on the genus "Stonogobiops" shows two interesting entries: "Stonogobiops sp.", and "Stonogobiops yasha". More interestingly, the latter is considered the correct name for the former. The detailed entry page has no photo, but the description fits. A quick check of the remaining Stonogobiops listings, and I'm fairly certain that S. yasha is the fish. The species name was given in 2001, after the book Marine Fishes was written, so that fits, too.>
I had his partner too but it has apparently died during a molt.  It was a brilliant red and white also and had the characteristics of a mantis shrimp, approximately 1" long.
<Fishbase lists Alpheus randalli as this fish's shrimp partner. A quick Google search on "Alpheus randalli" turns up web pages with photos of both the shrimp *and* the goby! And a couple of pages show the goby clearly labeled as Stonogobiops yasha. (I must make one clarification comment -- the A. randalli shrimp does not have the characteristics of a mantis shrimp, but of a pistol shrimp. In fact, the common name of your shrimp is the Randall's snapping shrimp. Many people mistake the very loud popping noise of pistol shrimp for a noise made by a mantis shrimp, but most mantis shrimp are actually rather quiet. Well, until you give them some food.... but that's another topic.)>
Any information I can provide I will.... and thank you.
David Snider
<Thanks for writing -- I now know the species name of this cute little goby. --Ananda>

Cryptocentrus cyanotaenia
I am looking for any information on this particular goby.  I have heard it called Peach Goby (See -
http://www.reefcorner54.com/GobyCity-PeachShrimpGoby.htm for a picture), Blue Banded Goby and Bluelined Shrimp Goby.  The last name is what I am interested in.  Does this particular goby live with pistol shrimps?
<Yes. Please see here re this species: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=56816&genusname=Cryptocentrus&speciesname=cyanotaenia>
I have one of these gobies and wish to house him with a pistol shrimp, but I want to make sure he is a 'pistol shrimp type' goby.  Any information or any help on finding info on this shrimp would be appreciated.
<It may take to a given Alpheus species. I encourage you to place a small length of small diameter PVC pipe in your substrate where you want these animals to associate... and place the shrimp near here initially. Bob Fenner>
Thanks
Bobby

Gobies/shrimp relationships
I just picked up what is a suspected pair of Mexican red head gobies.  I had never seen this goby before but fell in love with them on site.  I am trying to figure out what would be a good shrimp to pair up.  I few facts:
Three (3), yes three gallon, micro reef tank with: the two gobies, a small feather duster, two mushrooms (one red one purple), 5 sand sifting snails, one black turbo snail, two astrea snails, two small hermit crabs (one all white, and the other white with orange spots {yep, I know he will get probably get big just did not want him destroying my large reef tank}.  I think that is it, oh wait.  I am running 3 watts a gallon and all water params seem fine.
I guess I am also wondering if I need a shrimp per goby or will they be nice and share?
<I'm not familiar with exactly what goby you have.  Any way you can attach a pic of it?  Try searching fishbase.org to see if you can come up with the genus or species if possible.  The only red headed goby I've heard of does not live commensally with a pistol shrimp.>
Mario Nickerson

Goby and wrasse questions... Champagne livestock tastes, Bud tank   8/23/06
Hi.
<Hey there!>  
  I have a 45 gallon tank with the following critters - a clownfish (currently residing in an anemone), firefish goby, pajama cardinal, diamond sand goby, scarlet cleaner shrimp, some Christmas tree rocks, some coral frags, some snails and a scarlet legged cleaner crab.   
  I saw a beautiful fish the other day, the store rep said it was an African Aurora Goby which I think is called Amblyeleotris aurora?)
<Maybe>
and he priced it at $80.
<Man! I got out of the fish collection biz much too soon!>
I looked on an internet site and saw something very similar but it was called a Pinkbar goby (for $30), and it was listed as originating from either Indo Pacific or Maldives, aka Cryptocentrus aurora. They look so similar to me, is there any difference?
<Mmm, nope... try putting both names into fishbase.org...: http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=12694&genusname=Amblyeleotris&speciesname=aurora
is the same species... is an Amblyeleotris>
And is there a difference between the Indo Pacific one and the Maldives one?
<Mmm, maybe slight geographic variation in color, markings... and likely cost... the further away... the higher>
Also, are they hard to keep, and will there be any compatibility problems with my current fish?
   <Your 45 may be too small to provide sufficient habitat for this shy species to "feel comfortable"... Do you intend to supply an appropriate Alpheid symbiont?
  I also saw a lovely leopard wrasse; again, would there be any compatibility or feeding problems with this fish?
     Thanks for your time,
     Ak
<I would not encourage someone to try a genus Macropharyngodon labrid in such a setting. Bob Fenner>