Red-banded Goby

Red-banded Goby

The Red-banded Goby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri), commonly called Wheeler's shrimp goby, is a handsome shrimp goby boldly barred in red-orange and white over a pale body and flecked with bright blue spots. Like other shrimp gobies, its charm lies in its symbiosis with a burrowing pistol (alpheid) shrimp: the pair share a sandy burrow, the keen-eyed goby keeping watch while the near-blind shrimp excavates.

Reef-safe, peaceful and fascinating to observe, it is a great choice for a calm reef with a sand bed.

Natural Habitat & Origin

Amblyeleotris wheeleri is found across the Indo-Pacific, where it lives over sandy and rubble substrates near reefs, sharing a burrow with its partner shrimp. It hovers near the entrance and dives inside in an instant when threatened.

To reproduce this in captivity, provide an open sand bed deep enough to burrow in, some rubble for burrow stability, and ideally a partner pistol shrimp.

Care Requirements

Keep it in stable marine conditions: salinity around 1.024–1.026, pH 8.1–8.4, and a temperature of about 24–26°C (75–79°F). Reaching about 10 cm (4 inches), it suits a tank of around 75 litres (20 US gallons) or more with a sand bed and secure rockwork. A tight lid is recommended, as shrimp gobies will jump when startled. A few centimetres of sand and stable rock keep the burrow from collapsing.

Diet & Feeding

The Red-banded Goby is a carnivore, feeding on small crustaceans and zooplankton near its burrow. It readily takes aquarium foods: offer frequent small meals of frozen mysis and enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood and quality sinking marine pellets. Feed near the burrow entrance where the goby holds station, and feed often enough to keep it in good condition.

Behavior & Temperament

This is a peaceful, somewhat shy fish that spends much of its time at its burrow, darting inside when alarmed. It is no threat to tankmates and is at its best with a pistol shrimp partner, though it can be kept without one. It can be kept singly or as a pair; the partnership with the shrimp is the highlight of keeping the species.

Tank Mates

Pair it with peaceful reef fish — clownfish, firefish, smaller wrasses, cardinalfish and similar — and avoid aggressive species that will keep it hidden and off its food. It is fully reef-safe with corals and ornamental invertebrates. To enjoy the symbiosis, add a compatible Alpheus pistol shrimp and let the pair find each other.

Breeding

Shrimp gobies such as Amblyeleotris wheeleri form pairs and have spawned in aquaria, depositing eggs within the burrow, but rearing the planktonic larvae is difficult and uncommon in the home aquarium. Trade specimens are wild-collected.

Common Health Issues

The Red-banded Goby is reasonably hardy, with jumping and underfeeding the main practical risks — address both with a secure lid and regular targeted feeding near the burrow. Like all marine fish it can be affected by marine ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) and marine velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum) under stress, so quarantine new arrivals and keep water quality stable. Provide a sand bed, stable rockwork and ideally a pistol-shrimp partner, and this charming goby will thrive.