Tomiyamichthys nudus is relatively new species described only in 2012, and published in Allen and Erdmann’s new book on reef fishes of the East Indies. Previously, it has only been known as Tomiyamichthys sp, or sometimes incorrectly as Flabelligobius sp, and for obvious reasons. The two-toned fish sports a sail-like dorsal fin with the same black-cammo-leopard-spotted pattern as the Magnificent shrimp goby (Flabelligobius sp), except that the dorsal rays ends in a filamentous extension.
T. nudus is rare in the trade and appears very inconsistently and sporadically, usually from Cebu and Philippine imports. Most specimens that show up are small and go unnoticed by most people, sometimes even by suppliers. This species can also be found in Japan, and appears more regularly in the japanese market.
We most recently obtained a single specimen for our own keeping, and it lives symbiotically with Alpheus bellulus. The fish is still too shy for photographs, but when we do get a nice HD photo, we’ll feature it in another post. As with many shrimp gobies, the partnering choice of shrimp is usually not crucial, and most species fit for symbiotic goby living will do.
