Goby ID

[DMBillies]

I got the Goby below when I bought my 46 bow. Steve gave me a name for it at the time, but I couldn't find anything using the name (I probably spelled it wrong or something... it sounded Japanese). It's an interesting little fish and you have to have patience to really get a good look at him because he seems to hate lights and is a master of camoflage. This was just before I added him to the tank. The first pic lets you really see his camo colors that let him blend right into the sandbed and rocks. The second one shows the colors on his fins, which are actually very nice. For scale, see the reflection of the camera in the glass. He's about 2-2.5". Just want to learn a little more about him. Thanks for any help.

 

[turboex901]

brian, my spelling is off im sure but when i bought it from kermits in memphis it was sold a a tomoyama goby. theyre very reputable with ids on inverts and fish i just cant remeber the spelling. pronounced tom-oh-yah-muh, but the wife simply called it bambi lemme know what you find, if anything, as ive been curious too. i know deep water 40-60 meters and collected from southern japan. maybe that will help. <~~~steve

 

[DMBillies]

Steve,
I searched on the internet and found a different spelling. I think it must be Tomiyama, who appears to have been a marine biologist of some sort in the late 1800's and early 1900's. This is the closest thing I can find to the right fish, but the pic is pretty hard to see... Tomiyama's Shrimp Goby--Tomiyanichthys Oni

I don't think it's right because the dorsal fin looks lighter in this pic than on the fish I have... but it is at least the right body style.

Maybe with the right name I'll be able to come up with a better pic or better idea... but I don't have more time to look around right now. Thanks.

 

[turboex901]

very cool progress, ill poke around a bit after i get back from the flying saucer. ive watched enough csi's to hopefully figure out what i gave ya lol my curiosity is killing me now <~~steve

 

[c. dawg]

The closest I can find is Amblyeleotris steinitzi (Steinitz's Goby).

 

[DMBillies]

c.dawg- I appreciate the post. In the pics of that Goby that I can find, the stripes look too defined and there is too much white on him. This guy is much more mottled looking throughout.

...and so, I think the search continues.

 

[turboex901]

this will be a grand reef central mystery lol the problem im finding is the goblidae genus is so massive its hard to find accurate descriptions. from what i understand gobies are somewhat unknown to marine bioligists due to so many new findings they cant keep up. pretty soon we'll be buying gobies by "L" numbers like freshwater plecos. "give me that L-34 goby right there" <~~steve