Lotilia graciliosa - Ever seen one?

[SDguy]

Hello,

Just wondering if the white cap shrimp goby Lotilia graciliosa is ever collected. I see dive pics of it a lot, even video. But I've never seen one for sale. One person suggested it is because they are so timid, and retreat into their holes before a diver can get close. But I'd think many fish that we see regularly for sale are like this. I've been in love with this fish ever since I saw a picture of it and its matching black and white shrimp in the old Burgess Atlas back in the 80's. Any info is greatly appreciated!

Even a vid!
http://www.aquageographic.com/Broadband/channel_03/fishcatalog05_movie/05_06.wvx

 

[dfs/la2]

SDguy,

Thank you for your post. Our Aquaculture Coral and Marine Life Facility is currently closed, but we would be happy to look in to the potential availability of this gorgeous fish and get back to you as soon as possible.

Sandy C.
Live Aquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

 

[dfs/la2]

SDguy,

Thank you for your patience. At this time we are still looking in to the availability of the White Cap Shrimp Goby. Once this information is available from our Aquaculture Coral and Marine Life Facility we will post back here.

Again, we thank you for your patience.

Michelle L.
Live Aquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

 

[SDguy]

No hurry. I figured this might take some investigation on your part

 

[ricde]

Hope this works out for you SD. Have you checked into Cryptocentrus malindiensis. Great looking goby a little less color but still sometimes mistaken for the white cap.

Good luck with your search.

 

[SDguy]

Have never seen that fish either

 

[dfs/la2]

SDguy,

Thank you for contacting us with questions on this amazing goby. We checked with our Aquaculture Coral and Marine Life Facility and this species is not often found in the fish industry. We are trying to acquire some of these fish; however we cannot say how long it will be before we are able to.

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us.

Stacie R
Technical Support
Live Aquaria

 

[DFS]

Peter,
First off it was great to have an opportunity to finally put a face to the name at Reef-a-Palooza in California, as I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with you about Anthias and other unique marine fish. It’s great to meet people like yourself who are so knowledgeable and passionate about marine fish, which is a subject that I always love to talk about.

Thank you very much for your patience while I contacted a few friends and suppliers regarding this incredible fish. Like you, I had always admired the picture of this species in Burgess’s Marine Aquarium Atlas of Fishes, never knowing that 25 years later I still wouldn’t see one of these spectacular fish show up in the aquarium trade. If any have been imported to the United States they are in very limited numbers, as most importers that I have spoken with have never seen this fish available from any overseas suppliers.

Lotilia graciliosa is aptly named the Whitecap or graceful shrimp goby for its striking white cap on the head and along its back with an ocelli (false eye spot) on its first dorsal fin. This fish grows to a maximum size of 1-3/4", and lives with the large snapping shrimp Alpheus rubromaculatus where they share a borrow in sandy patches on reef flats, and fore and back reef slopes. Whitecap Shrimp Gobies are endemic to the Indo Pacific: The Red Sea to the Western Pacific ocean, north to the Ryukyu Islands, South to Rowley Shoals, Palau, Guam and Marshall Islands in Micronesia. Knowing its range which is widespread, you would think that this little fish would show up in the aquarium trade from time to time.

If we take a look at some of the tiny nano gobies entering the trade in the last few years, I always wondered why it took the exporters and collectors so long to finally find and harvest these little fishes. One exporter in Cebu has made a name for himself collecting smaller specimens for the marine ornamentals trade. In my opinion it boils down to skill and patience when trying to catch these 2” or less gobies. Shrimp Gobies are even more difficult and startle easily darting back into their deep burrows, which makes them even more challenging to catch.

From reviewing the fishes’ distribution, the best locale to harvest this animal would be Palau in Micronesia, but unfortunately there are no exports of Marine Ornamentals at the present time. The other viable area that falls within the range of these fish would be Papua New Guinea, the Marshalls, and in Fiji. After searching historical records of specimen data of fish cataloged at the Bishop Museum of Natural History, it appears that in October of 1973, Jack Randall harvested and cataloged this fish on the outside of the reef in Yanuca, which is adjacent to Pacific Harbor in Fiji. I actually dove in Fiji on and around the reefs of Yanuca and Beqa for 11 days and never once observed any of these fish.

I will keep on the look out for this incredible little fish and if I hear anything about their available from overseas will post back in this thread.

Cheers!
Kevin Kohen
Director of LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13730922#post13730922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DFS
Peter,
First off it was great to have an opportunity to finally put a face to the name at Reef-a-Palooza in California, as I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with you about Anthias and other unique marine fish. It’s great to meet people like yourself who are so knowledgeable and passionate about marine fish, which is a subject that I always love to talk about.

Thank you Kevin. I always enjoy putting a face to a name. In this heavily favored coral hobby, it's always nice to find another fish head!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13730922#post13730922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DFS
Thank you very much for your patience while I contacted a few friends and suppliers regarding this incredible fish. Like you, I had always admired the picture of this species in Burgess’s Marine Aquarium Atlas of Fishes, never knowing that 25 years later I still wouldn’t see one of these spectacular fish show up in the aquarium trade. If any have been imported to the United States they are in very limited numbers, as most importers that I have spoken with have never seen this fish available from any overseas suppliers.

Ha! Nice to know I wasn't the only one smitten with that photo

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13730922#post13730922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DFS
Lotilia graciliosa is aptly named the Whitecap or graceful shrimp goby for its striking white cap on the head and along its back with an ocelli (false eye spot) on its first dorsal fin. This fish grows to a maximum size of 1-3/4", and lives with the large snapping shrimp Alpheus rubromaculatus where they share a borrow in sandy patches on reef flats, and fore and back reef slopes. Whitecap Shrimp Gobies are endemic to the Indo Pacific: The Red Sea to the Western Pacific ocean, north to the Ryukyu Islands, South to Rowley Shoals, Palau, Guam and Marshall Islands in Micronesia. Knowing its range which is widespread, you would think that this little fish would show up in the aquarium trade from time to time.

If we take a look at some of the tiny nano gobies entering the trade in the last few years, I always wondered why it took the exporters and collectors so long to finally find and harvest these little fishes. One exporter in Cebu has made a name for himself collecting smaller specimens for the marine ornamentals trade. In my opinion it boils down to skill and patience when trying to catch these 2” or less gobies. Shrimp Gobies are even more difficult and startle easily darting back into their deep burrows, which makes them even more challenging to catch.

From reviewing the fishes’ distribution, the best locale to harvest this animal would be Palau in Micronesia, but unfortunately there are no exports of Marine Ornamentals at the present time. The other viable area that falls within the range of these fish would be Papua New Guinea, the Marshalls, and in Fiji. After searching historical records of specimen data of fish cataloged at the Bishop Museum of Natural History, it appears that in October of 1973, Jack Randall harvested and cataloged this fish on the outside of the reef in Yanuca, which is adjacent to Pacific Harbor in Fiji. I actually dove in Fiji on and around the reefs of Yanuca and Beqa for 11 days and never once observed any of these fish.

I will keep on the look out for this incredible little fish and if I hear anything about their available from overseas will post back in this thread.

Cheers!
Kevin Kohen
Director of LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

Ah, very interesting information Kevin. Thank you so much for taking the time to inform me, and your other customers, about this wonderful fish. Perhaps with the greater interest in small gobies and such, and with you maybe planting the seeds of interest with your suppliers, we will in fact soon see this beauty available in the trade! I will of course happily offer one of my tanks as the "beta site" when the time comes

Kind regards,

 

[danfrith]

Always drooled over this fish too. Good luck finding one Peter.

 

[Ooulophilia]

I saw this goby posted in the ID "showoff " thread and cannot get it out of my head either! After quite a few years of wandering around the wholesalers down here a few times a week I can confirm that I have never seen one - we can only dream!

 

[SDguy]

Apparently I am not alone in this cult following

 

[SDguy]

Eek! http://glassbox-design.com/2009/the-enchanting-whitecap-goby-lotilia-graciliosa/