Scalycheek shrimpgoby

Where they come from

Scalycheek shrimpgobies (Vanderhorstia lepidobucca) show up on sandy, rubble-strewn bottoms on Indo-Pacific reefs. Think gentle slopes and lagoon edges where a pistol shrimp can dig without the whole place collapsing.

They are one of those gobies that look calm and understated in a dealer tank, then turn into absolute characters once they have a burrow and a shrimp buddy.

Setting up their tank

This fish is basically a tenant, not a homeowner. Your job is to give it a safe patch of sand and stable rockwork, then get out of the way while it and a shrimp remodel the neighborhood.

• Tank size: I would not do one in less than 20-30 gallons, and 40+ is way less stressful if you have other fish.
• Sand bed: 2-3 inches minimum. Fine sand mixed with a little crushed coral or small rubble gives the shrimp building material.
• Rockwork: Put rocks on the glass or on a solid base, not sitting on sand. The shrimp will excavate under them.
• Flow: Moderate is fine, but avoid blasting the burrow zone. They hate fighting a sandstorm at the front door.
• Lighting: They do not care much. Just give them shaded spots near the burrow entrance.
• Cover: Tight lid. Gobies can and will launch if spooked, especially early on.

If you want the classic symbiosis, pair it with an Alpheus pistol shrimp. Not every pistol is a perfect match, but the common Randall's-type pistols (Alpheus randalli and similar) are often the easiest to get going. Introduce them at the same time if you can. If the goby is already settled, it may ignore a new shrimp for a while.

What to feed them

They are micropredators. In a mature tank they will pick at tiny life in the sand, but in most home systems they need real meals. The big trick is getting food down to the burrow entrance before faster fish vacuum it up.

• Best staples: mysis (small), enriched brine, finely chopped shrimp/clam, fish eggs, copepods.
• Prepared foods: many will take small pellets once settled, but do not count on it at first.
• How often: small feedings 1-2 times a day works better than a huge dump every few days.
• Target feeding: a turkey baster or pipette is your best friend. Put the food cloud right where the goby is posted.

If it is paired with a pistol shrimp, you will notice the shrimp gets "paid" too. The goby grabs food, drops bits, and the shrimp drags it inside. That is normal and part of why you want to feed a little more generously than you would for a lone goby.

How they behave and who they get along with

Most of the time they are little periscopes. They park at the entrance, flick their fins, and watch the room. If something bothers them, they vanish into the burrow like they were never there.

They are not aggressive, but they are not brave either. Tankmate choice makes or breaks your experience. If they feel hunted, you will own an invisible fish.

• Good tankmates: peaceful reef fish (clownfish, smaller wrasses that are not bullies, firefish if the tank is calm, cardinals), most non-predatory inverts.
• Avoid: aggressive dottybacks, big hawkfish, larger wrasses that harass the sandbed, triggers, puffers, and anything that thinks shrimp are snacks.
• Other gobies: can work in bigger tanks with multiple burrow zones, but expect territory around the entrance.
• With pistol shrimp: strongly recommended if you want natural behavior. They are still fine solo if the tank is quiet and they have cover.

If you keep them in a community, give them a spot that is not the center of traffic. A calmer corner with a rubble pile and a rock overhang is usually where they finally relax and start showing themselves.

Breeding tips

Breeding in a typical reef tank is possible but not something most people pull off on purpose. If you get a bonded pair (male and female) and they feel secure, they may spawn in the burrow. You will almost never see the eggs. You just notice the fish being extra busy and the shrimp doing even more construction.

Raising the larvae is the hard part. They go pelagic, and you are into the whole marine larval rearing world: separate larval tank, live foods (rotifers, copepods), stable temperature, and lots of patience.

Common problems to watch for

Most failures with scalycheek shrimpgobies come down to stress and food. They can look fine for weeks, then you realize they are slowly shrinking because they never win at feeding time.

• Not eating enough: pinched belly, staying hidden, losing interest in food. Fix by target feeding and reducing food competition.
• Jumping: usually early on or after a scare. Fix with a tight lid and calmer tankmates.
• Burrow collapse and constant moving: sand too shallow, no rubble, rocks shifting. Fix the substrate and stabilize rockwork.
• Shrimp predation: some tankmates will pick off the pistol shrimp, and the goby often goes downhill after it loses its partner.
• Shipping damage and parasites: they can come in thin. Quarantine helps, but be gentle - they stress easily.

If you want one piece of "advanced" advice: watch it eat. Not once. Every day for the first couple weeks. If it is taking 3-5 good bites per feeding and looks relaxed at the burrow entrance, you are on track. If it is always late to the party, you need to change the feeding game fast.