Care Level: Easy

Temperament: Peaceful

Reef Compatible: Yes

General Description: The Yasha Goby has a large natural distribution across the Western Pacific Ocean in the wild, however we offer aquacultured specimens of this species! A small fish with unparalleled personality to match, the Yasha goby is pearly-white with vibrant orange horizontal broken stripes acrross its length, yellow fins, and most remarkably a pronounced and curved white dorsal fin. This goby is typically found in association with a Candy Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus randalli), in which the shrimp maintains the burrow they live in and the goby alerts the nearly blind shrimp of potential threats. The Yasha goby can reach an adult size of approximately 2-1/2″.

Diet Requirements: The Yasha goby is primarily carnivorous, feeding on small organisms and zooplankton. A diet largely consisting of high quality, vitamin enriched frozen preparations is absolutely necessary to maintain optimal health, coloration, and immune function. Such foods can include, but are not limited to, brine shrimp, calanus, cyclopeeze and rotifers. We highly encourage soaking frozen foods in vitamin and fatty acid supplements. Multiple, small feedings per day rather than one large feeding will also create more of a natural environment for this goby as it would feed in the wild. A Yasha goby may accept high quality flake and micro-pellet foods.

Care Requirements: A minimum 15 to 20 gallon aquarium is ideal to house a Yasha goby. A tight fitting lid is recommended because these gobies are known to be spooked easily until they settle in, and this prevents your Yasha goby from jumping out of the aquarium by accident. Spending most of its time on the bottom of the aquarium, the Yasha goby will appreciate some rock work to build a small burrow under where it will peak out of through the day. We highly recommend pairing this goby with its preferred shrimp partner, the Candy Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus randalli), but some have also been observed to pair up with a Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus bellulus) in the home aquarium. This partnership, also known as a symbiotic relationship, is important for the Yasha goby to feel completely at home. Do not house Yasha gobies with overly aggressive and pugnacious tank mates. Yasha gobies make excellent reef inhabitants. Keep only one goby of this behavior-type per aquarium, unless it is very large to accomodate territories of more than one individual. Recommended water conditions, 72-78° F, KH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 1.020-1.025.

Purchase Size: Small: 1-1/4″ or less; Medium: 1-1/2″ to 2″; Large: 2-1/4″ to 2-1/2″

Note: Your item may not look identical to the image provided due to variation within species. Purchase sizes are approximate.