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Yellow watchman goby, photographed on a transparent background

ReefIn the market180 coinsCommon

Yellow watchman goby

Cryptocentrus cinctus

Props itself up on its fins in the sand and keeps watch.

The Yellow watchman goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus) is a tropical marine fish of the family Gobiidae. It lives on and around reefs, between 1 and 25 m deep. Adults grow to about 8 cm; the largest on record measured 10 cm (standard length). In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 60 cm long and water at 23–27 °C.

Size
8 cm
Smallest tank
60 cm
Temperature
23–27 °C
Care
Easy

In the aquarium

Temperature23–27 °C
pH7.8–8.5
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Calm
Water layer
Bottom
Group
Lives on its own
Coral
Reef safe
Drawn to scale in a 60 cm tank

These values are compiled from real species data, and the LumaReef simulation is built to keep them true to life.

Which tank it fits

  • Nano60 cm · 65 litres7 of them
  • Standard90 cm · 180 litres20 of them
  • Wide120 cm · 300 litres33 of them
  • Living room180 cm · 650 litres72 of them
  • Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres133 of them
  • Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres160 of them

Who it lives with

In the wild

Water type
Marine
Climate zone
Tropical
Habitat
Coral and rocky reefs
Largest on record
10 cmstandard length, tail fin excluded
Aquarium trade
Traded commercially

Depth

Conservation status

Classification

  1. OrderGobiiformes
  2. FamilyGobiidae
  3. GenusCryptocentrus
  4. SpeciesCryptocentrus cinctus
  5. Described byHerre, 1936

In other languages

English
Yellow Shrimpgoby
Russian
Жёлтый креветочный криптоцентрус
Japanese
ギンガハゼ

Quick answers

Yellow watchman goby size: how big does it get?
Adults reach about 8 cm. The largest on record measured 10 cm (standard length). Record sizes among the 75 Gobiidae species on LumaReef: 1.3 cm (Creamback Dwarfgoby) to 55.3 cm (Violet Goby).
Yellow watchman goby tank size: what is the minimum?
A tank at least 60 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Nano tank or larger.
Yellow watchman goby water parameters: what does it need?
Temperature 23–27 °C, pH 7.8–8.5. Close to what most Gobiidae on LumaReef need (22–27 °C).
Yellow watchman goby tank mates: what can it live with?
It gets along with 89 of the 99 reef species in the catalogue, such as Clownfish, Fire goby, and Flame hawkfish.
Yellow watchman goby: alone or in a group?
It can be kept on its own.
Yellow watchman goby and corals: is it reef safe?
Yes, it leaves corals alone.
Yellow watchman goby depth: how deep does it live?
In the wild, 1 to 25 m down. Close to most Gobiidae on LumaReef (2–30 m).

All Gobiidae speciesAll species A–Z

Sources

Yellow watchman goby: compiled from these references.