[emeraldsky]

There was a really neat looking fish at my LFS
The owner called it a marbled goby but I looked it up and it doesnt look like one at all

Any one have an idea on what it is?
Id like to research care on them and possibly own one.

It was about 3 inches long and pretty pale looking.

 

[emeraldsky]

I just did a few google searches and it kind of looks like a cobalt goby, but I honestly have no idea nor experience.

Try searching "types of freshwater goby" in images...there are a lot. And that's assuming it is a goby. Maybe someone will come along who's had experience with this fish

Also, don't you love mis-identified fish? Haha

Misidentified fish seem to be a stable in some of my LFS hah!

I had already looked up freshwater goby before posting but I'll try it again and see what I can come up with. Im pretty sure its a goby though, they seem to be a pretty distinctive fish c:

Im pretty sure it wasnt a cobalt goby though, there wasnt a black stripe running through it.

 

[emeraldsky]

Alright, after several hours of looking, i think ive narrowed it down to a two different gobies


stiphodon ornatus
stiphodon elegans


I cant really tell other than that since the one i saw was super washed out

 

[emeraldsky]

this looks really close to it. same pattern an stuff ¡iRhinogobius brunneus¡j==Digital Museum of Zoology, NTU==

I actually came across that page when I was looking

I passed on that one since the mouth looked different and there wasnt the hint of red in the top fin like the one i saw.

thank you though!

 

[emeraldsky]

Pinning down the species from that photo is not easy. The fins are not discernable, nor the head. It is a goby I think we all agree, but which one...?

The most commonly-imported species are two very similar, Rhinogobius candidianus and R. cf. nantaiensis. These are not normal "community" fish, so they need a tank set up to provide for their specific requirements. And tankmates must obviously be well selected to match.

Here is some info on the first species mentioned.
Rhinogobius candidianus (Ctenogobius candidianus, Rhinogobius taiwanus) — Seriously Fish

Byron.

Thank you Byron,
I wish I had taken some more pictures, unfortunately this shop is a bit of aways from me. They were also zooming around the tank so that was the clearest shot I could get.

Is goby care generally the same for these species?
I have enough room to set up another tank I think and Id like to have a few of these guys, they were really interesting!

 

[emeraldsky]

I was just talking about that fish the other night with a friend of mine. It looks a like Stiphodon gobies. Possibly Stiphodon semoni. This is Seriously Fish's article about them. Really neat little fish, but they have pretty specific needs. Would go great in a hillstream tank, tho.

Well I HAVE been looking for an excuse to set up a tank for hillstream loaches


I may put off getting these guys just yet, Id much rather have a large stream type tank set up and go all out with it, rather than just stuffing them in a small tank.