Bluebanded shrimpgoby

The bluebanded shrimpgoby (Cryptocentrus cyanotaenia) is a small marine goby of the family Gobiidae, native to reefs and sandy lagoons of the western Pacific. It has a stout body marked with blue lines and spots on the head and fins over a tan to greenish base, and like other shrimpgobies it lives in a burrow shared with an alpheid pistol shrimp in a mutualistic partnership. It is a peaceful, somewhat territorial fish best kept singly or as a pair, ideally with its symbiotic shrimp partner. A reef aquarium with a deep sand bed and rubble for burrow construction suits its natural behavior, and a tight lid helps prevent jumping. It feeds on small crustaceans and zooplankton, accepting mysis, brine shrimp, and other small meaty frozen foods. Reef-safe with corals. Watching the goby guard the burrow while the shrimp excavates is a highlight of keeping this species. Captive breeding is uncommon.