Leopard Goby (Amblyeleotris diagonalis)

The Leopard Goby, also known as the Diagonal Shrimp Goby or Diagonal Bar Prawn Goby, is a beautifully marked, personality-packed little fish that brings both visual interest and genuine behavioural fascination to reef aquariums. This species is elongated in shape, adorned with bold diagonal brown bars, and its fins are speckled in brown and blue, creating an intricate pattern that lives up to its common name. What makes this fish truly special in the aquarium is its symbiotic relationship with pistol shrimp, one of the most captivating partnerships in the reef keeping hobby.

Why we love it

• Stunning diagonal banding and speckled fins, endlessly interesting up close
• One of the most rewarding fish to watch, especially when paired with a pistol shrimp
• The goby keeps watch while the shrimp digs and maintains their shared burrow, a fascinating association to observe in an aquarium
• Peaceful, reef safe, and beginner friendly
• Compact size makes it suitable for a wide range of system sizes

Suggested parameters

• Temperature: 24 to 27°C (75 to 80°F)
• Salinity: 1.025 to 1.026 SG
• pH: 8.1 to 8.4
• Alkalinity: 8 to 10 dKH
• Calcium: 400 to 450 ppm
• Magnesium: 1250 to 1400 ppm
• Nitrate: 5 to 20 ppm
• Phosphate: 0.03 to 0.12 ppm
• Moderate water flow to maintain water quality without disturbing its benthic lifestyle

Care and temperament

• Difficulty: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Reef safe: Yes, fully compatible with corals and ornamental invertebrates
• Minimum tank size: 30 gallons
• Best maintained in well-established reef or fish-only aquariums with wide-open, coarse-grained (2 to 4 mm) deep sandy areas along with some small rubble for burrow building
• A tight-fitting lid is essential; this species is a confirmed jumper

Diet

Target feeding is necessary when there is not enough naturally occurring live food in the aquarium; the diet should consist of finely chopped fresh or frozen meaty foods including krill, marine fish flesh, mysis shrimp, shrimp, scallops, squid, and clams, with some algae-containing foods included as well

• Frozen mysis shrimp (staple)
• Finely chopped frozen meaty foods
• Quality carnivore pellets once trained
• If reluctant to feed initially, live adult fortified brine shrimp and blackworms can be used to entice feeding
• Feed twice daily; target feeding near the burrow entrance is most effective

Compatibility and tankmates

• Excellent with clownfish, dartfish, small wrasses, other peaceful reef gobies, and most reef community fish
• Should not be housed with aggressive or fin-nipping fish such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfish, or angelfish, as this is a shy species that prefers to live in and near its burrow
• Other animals that dig in the sand, such as wrasses, can stress this species if the aquarium is not spacious enough
• Keep singly or as a mated pair; if keeping a pair, introduce both individuals simultaneously
• Highly recommended to pair with an Alpheus pistol shrimp for the full symbiotic experience

Health and acclimation notes

The Leopard Goby is a hardy, adaptable species that settles in well once it has claimed a suitable burrow site with stable, peaceful surroundings. Ensure the sandbed is deep enough and coarse enough to allow natural burrowing behaviour, and keep flow moderate near the substrate so the burrow is not constantly disrupted. New arrivals may be shy for the first few days while establishing a territory; target feeding near the burrow entrance helps build confidence and feeding response quickly.

What you are buying

• You will receive: 1 Leopard Goby (Amblyeleotris diagonalis)
• Colour patterning and bar intensity can vary slightly between individuals

Slow acclimation is recommended. A tight-fitting lid is essential, as this species will jump.