Citron Pygmygoby

Trimma kitrinum

Also known as Yellow Trimma Goby, Citron Pygmy Goby

SaltwaterFish

Citron Pygmygoby (Trimma kitrinum) — Biota · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 1.1 in (2.7 cm)
Minimum tank: 5 gal (19 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Western Pacific (Indonesia to Samoa)
Family: Gobiidae

Overview

It tolerates its own kind better than many gobies, and a small group in a nano tank will spread out across the rockwork. Feed small pellets, Calanus, and baby brine shrimp in a few small meals a day. Skip large or quick tankmates, both for its safety and so it gets a fair share at feeding time.

In the wild

This pygmygoby lives on western Pacific reefs from Indonesia east to Samoa, recorded from 1 to 36 meters, with the first specimens taken on Fiji's Great Astrolabe Reef. It is a percher, holding station on rock and coral rather than swimming open water. Give it a rocky scape with gentle flow and sheltered perches at a few different heights.

Good to know

Winterbottom and Hoese described the species in 2015, taking the name from the Greek kitrinos, meaning citron yellow, for its yellow tail. Otolith studies of relatives clocked maximum ages of 87 days in Trimma nasa and 140 days in Trimma benjamini, so the genus lives fast even by goby standards. Plan for a bright but naturally brief resident.

Did you know

In the hobby it goes by Yellow Trimma Goby, and it is one of the youngest names in the trade, described in 2015 and captive-bred within the same decade.