| Watchman gobies or Cryptocentrus cinctus belong | | | | crustacean merge in symbiotic harmony. These |
| to the family Gobiidae. This is a large family, | | | | are benign species who take little interest in the |
| comprised of over 2,000 species in 200 different | | | | affairs transpiring above them as long as their |
| genera. Members of this family are more | | | | sand laden kingdom is not intruded upon. Gobies |
| commonly referred to as gobies. Gobies are one | | | | can be easily mixed with most crustaceans |
| of the most popular fish among saltwater | | | | without any cause for concern. They do however |
| aquarium owners. Spotted watchmen are natives | | | | exhibit territorial aggression toward other bottom |
| of the shallow watered regions of the Indo-Pacific. | | | | dwelling fish. This species is among the most |
| Significant populations can be found off the coasts | | | | aggressive of its kind. They take their sentry |
| of Australia. | | | | duty very seriously. A mated pair works well |
| Gobies are small, bottom dwelling fish. Even the | | | | together. Avoid having any other bottom dwelling |
| largest members of the family Gobiidae only | | | | fish in your aquarium unless it has a large bottom |
| grows to about a foot in length. Watchmen are | | | | surface area. |
| approximately half that size when fully grown. | | | | Gobies have much better eyesight than their six |
| They have slender cylindrical shaped bodies with | | | | legged counterparts. They will act as a |
| an almost worm-like appearance. The spotted | | | | seeing-eye-dog for their nearly blind companions. |
| watchman is most typically whitish to light gray in | | | | The sensory appendages on their heads (cirri) add |
| color with spots of varying size over their entire | | | | a second level of security. They patiently stand |
| body. These spots may be pink, reddish or grey | | | | guard while the shrimp busily excavates their |
| in color. The spots on their heads are frequently | | | | burrows. When a predator draws near the |
| interspersed with smaller speckling. | | | | watchman swishes it tail to alert the shrimp to |
| Gobies are best known for their symbiotic | | | | imminent danger and they both quickly retreat |
| relationships with small crustaceans, most | | | | into the sanctuary of their earthen abode. |
| especially pistol shrimp. They frequently cohabitate | | | | A pistol shrimp may indeed dig several burrows |
| with these shrimp in sand burrows of the shrimp's | | | | around an aquarium until it creates the perfect |
| making. The watchman is no exception. They are | | | | one to call home. At the end of a hard days work |
| given their names for the way in which they | | | | a small rock or clump of sand will be pulled over |
| stand guard over their shared burrows while their | | | | the burrow opening to conceal its presence from |
| roommates scurry about in the course of their | | | | nocturnal prowlers. |
| daily activities. Although not nearly as adept at | | | | Both gobies and their life partners are carnivores. |
| digging, gobies will borrow into the sand at night | | | | They can be fed mysis or vitamin enriched brine |
| and to avoid predation in the absence of a | | | | shrimp. They will also accept flake food, pellets |
| companion shrimp. A sand substrate is a | | | | and frozen preparations developed for marine |
| prerequisite for owning a goby. They will also | | | | carnivores. |
| require plenty of hiding place on the bottom of | | | | A precautionary note in goby ownership: Although |
| the aquarium to give them the confidence to | | | | gobies are bottom dwellers by nature, they will on |
| stray away from their burrows in search of food. | | | | occasion indulge in brief interludes to the surface |
| Gobies in general make very interesting additions | | | | of an aquarium. They are accomplished jumpers. |
| to any community tank or marine reef setup. It is | | | | They must only be housed in a well lidded |
| simply fascinating to watch a fish and a | | | | aquarium for their own protection. |