Ctenogobiops Sand Goby

Ctenogobiops is a genus of small, sand-dwelling gobies distributed across the Indo-Pacific that are among the most dedicated shrimp-goby symbiosis participants. These slender, semi-transparent to white gobies with rows of orange-red spots or dashes on the body typically reach 5–7 cm and spend their lives hovering just above the entrance to a burrow excavated and maintained by a partner Alpheus snapping shrimp. The shrimp, which has poor eyesight, stays in constant tactile contact with the goby's tail while working; the goby provides the visual sentinel role, signalling with rapid tail flicks when predators approach. In the aquarium this fascinating relationship can be recreated by housing a Ctenogobiops with a compatible Alpheus species on a deep fine-sand substrate. The gobies are peaceful, delicate, and require pristine water quality. Suitable for nano to medium reef or brackish sandy biotope setups.