Stonogobiops yasha is a diminutive shrimp goby recognized by its pearly-white body crossed by broken reddish-orange stripes, yellow fins, and a dramatically elongated white first dorsal ray that is tipped with a dark distal mark. Adults reach roughly 2 inches, making this one of the more delicate-looking gobies available to reef keepers. The species ranges through the Western Pacific, with records from Bali, Palau, the Ryukyu and Izu islands of Japan, and New Caledonia, where it inhabits sandy bottoms along outer reef slopes at depths of approximately 15 to 40 meters. Pairs are frequently observed hovering just above a shared burrow, a habit tied to its well-documented partnership with pistol shrimp, particularly Alpheus randalli.

Housing should reproduce the sand-and-rubble interface this goby depends on. A 10-gallon aquarium is the smallest volume recommended for an adult, though a larger footprint gives a goby and shrimp pair more room to establish and defend a burrow. Provide a sand bed of at least 2 inches; a 2- to 3-inch bed of mixed grain sizes holds tunnel walls together far better when a pistol shrimp is present. Seat all rockwork directly on the aquarium bottom so that excavation beneath it cannot trigger a collapse, and leave open sightlines around a crevice or overhang where the burrow entrance can be observed.

This fish stays close to the substrate and values secure shelter over open swimming space, so vertical water volume matters less than usable bottom area. Keep the system stable and fully established, and populate it with calm occupants. Avoid aiming strong flow directly at the sand, which scours burrow entrances and unsettles the pair. A tight-fitting lid is essential, since startled shrimp gobies readily jump. Care is moderate rather than beginner-level, largely because of the small mouth, shy disposition, and need for a properly built substrate.