Pink Spot Goby - Cryptocentrus leptocephalus
Pink Spot Goby (Cryptocentrus leptocephalus)
The Pink Spot Goby, Cryptocentrus leptocephalus, is a characterful marine shrimp goby with a pale brownish to greenish body, soft barring and attractive pink to red spotting across the head, back and fins. Also known as the Pink-speckled Shrimpgoby, Pink-spotted Watchman Goby or Singapore Shrimp Goby, this Western Pacific species is a hardy and engaging bottom-dweller for peaceful reef and marine community aquariums. It is especially appealing for aquarists who enjoy natural burrowing behaviour, sand-sifting activity and possible symbiosis with pistol shrimps.
Common Name:
Pink Spot Goby, Pink-speckled Shrimpgoby, Pink-spotted Watchman Goby, Pinkspot Goby, Pink Shrimpgoby, Singapore Shrimp Goby, Leptocephalus Prawn Goby.
Scientific Name (Latin):
Cryptocentrus leptocephalus
Maximum Size:
Up to around 12 cm in the wild. Aquarium specimens are often around 8–12 cm.
Water Type:
Marine
Origin / Natural Habitat:
Western Pacific, including Indonesia, southern Japan, north-western Australia, New Caledonia and surrounding reef regions. Naturally found on silty, sandy, muddy and rubble bottoms around coastal reefs, inner reef flats, mangroves, large tidal pools and sheltered lagoons, usually in shallow water.
Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–27°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Hardness or Salinity: SG 1.020–1.025
Temperament:
Generally peaceful, but territorial around its burrow. It is best kept with calm to moderately active reef-safe fish that will not bully it or steal all food before it reaches the bottom. It may quarrel with similar gobies or other burrow-dwelling fish in smaller aquariums.
Diet:
Carnivorous micro-predator and substrate forager. In the aquarium, offer sinking marine carnivore pellets, frozen mysis, enriched brineshrimp, chopped clam, finely chopped prawn, copepods, cyclops and other small meaty foods. Make sure food reaches the substrate, as this species feeds close to its burrow and may not compete strongly in the open water column.
Minimum Tank Size:
A minimum of 120 litres is recommended for a single specimen, with larger aquariums preferred if keeping it with a pistol shrimp, other bottom-dwelling fish or a wider reef community.
Behaviour & Activity:
A bottom-dwelling watchman-style goby that spends much of its time sitting near a burrow, watching its surroundings and darting into cover when startled. It may dig or rearrange sand around its chosen territory and can form a natural partnership with suitable pistol shrimps, where the shrimp maintains the burrow and the goby acts as a lookout. Provide a soft sand bed, rubble pieces and stable rockwork placed securely before adding sand.
Reef Safe:
Reef Safe
Safe with corals and most ornamental invertebrates. It does not nip corals, but it may eat very tiny worms, pods or small benthic invertebrates as part of its natural diet. The main reef consideration is digging behaviour, which can move sand onto low-placed corals if the aquascape is not planned carefully.
Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Provide a soft sand substrate rather than sharp gravel, as this species naturally lives and feeds around sand, silt, mud and rubble. Rockwork should be stable and ideally placed on the tank base before sand is added, as burrowing can undermine loose structures. A secure lid is strongly recommended, as gobies can jump when startled. Avoid housing with aggressive fish, large predatory wrasses or multiple similar shrimp gobies in small aquariums.
Suitable for:
Beginner to intermediate fishkeepers
Availability:
Occasional in trade
All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.
Description
Pink Spot Goby (Cryptocentrus leptocephalus)
The Pink Spot Goby, Cryptocentrus leptocephalus, is a characterful marine shrimp goby with a pale brownish to greenish body, soft barring and attractive pink to red spotting across the head, back and fins. Also known as the Pink-speckled Shrimpgoby, Pink-spotted Watchman Goby or Singapore Shrimp Goby, this Western Pacific species is a hardy and engaging bottom-dweller for peaceful reef and marine community aquariums. It is especially appealing for aquarists who enjoy natural burrowing behaviour, sand-sifting activity and possible symbiosis with pistol shrimps.
Common Name:
Pink Spot Goby, Pink-speckled Shrimpgoby, Pink-spotted Watchman Goby, Pinkspot Goby, Pink Shrimpgoby, Singapore Shrimp Goby, Leptocephalus Prawn Goby.
Scientific Name (Latin):
Cryptocentrus leptocephalus
Maximum Size:
Up to around 12 cm in the wild. Aquarium specimens are often around 8–12 cm.
Water Type:
Marine
Origin / Natural Habitat:
Western Pacific, including Indonesia, southern Japan, north-western Australia, New Caledonia and surrounding reef regions. Naturally found on silty, sandy, muddy and rubble bottoms around coastal reefs, inner reef flats, mangroves, large tidal pools and sheltered lagoons, usually in shallow water.
Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–27°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Hardness or Salinity: SG 1.020–1.025
Temperament:
Generally peaceful, but territorial around its burrow. It is best kept with calm to moderately active reef-safe fish that will not bully it or steal all food before it reaches the bottom. It may quarrel with similar gobies or other burrow-dwelling fish in smaller aquariums.
Diet:
Carnivorous micro-predator and substrate forager. In the aquarium, offer sinking marine carnivore pellets, frozen mysis, enriched brineshrimp, chopped clam, finely chopped prawn, copepods, cyclops and other small meaty foods. Make sure food reaches the substrate, as this species feeds close to its burrow and may not compete strongly in the open water column.
Minimum Tank Size:
A minimum of 120 litres is recommended for a single specimen, with larger aquariums preferred if keeping it with a pistol shrimp, other bottom-dwelling fish or a wider reef community.
Behaviour & Activity:
A bottom-dwelling watchman-style goby that spends much of its time sitting near a burrow, watching its surroundings and darting into cover when startled. It may dig or rearrange sand around its chosen territory and can form a natural partnership with suitable pistol shrimps, where the shrimp maintains the burrow and the goby acts as a lookout. Provide a soft sand bed, rubble pieces and stable rockwork placed securely before adding sand.
Reef Safe:
Reef Safe
Safe with corals and most ornamental invertebrates. It does not nip corals, but it may eat very tiny worms, pods or small benthic invertebrates as part of its natural diet. The main reef consideration is digging behaviour, which can move sand onto low-placed corals if the aquascape is not planned carefully.
Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Provide a soft sand substrate rather than sharp gravel, as this species naturally lives and feeds around sand, silt, mud and rubble. Rockwork should be stable and ideally placed on the tank base before sand is added, as burrowing can undermine loose structures. A secure lid is strongly recommended, as gobies can jump when startled. Avoid housing with aggressive fish, large predatory wrasses or multiple similar shrimp gobies in small aquariums.
Suitable for:
Beginner to intermediate fishkeepers
Availability:
Occasional in trade
All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.
