All fish / Gobiidae

Yellow-spotted pygmy goby

Trimma cana

Also known as yes, trimma goby, pygmy goby, cana pygmy goby, yellow spotted trimma

A tiny pale goby dotted with yellow to orange spots, which often perches on rock faces and ledges, sometimes upside down under overhangs. Reef keepers pick it for nano tanks where its small size and busy hovering behaviour can be seen up close.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

2.5 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

Singly or a small group in a quiet reef

Diet

Carnivore: copepods, enriched brine shrimp, cyclops, finely chopped mysis

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

1 to 2 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Great Barrier Reef

Breeding

Like other Trimma it lays eggs in caves where the male guards them, and the species may change sex. Captive rearing is rare because the larvae are minute and need very small live foods.

Good to know

Very small and easily eaten or outcompeted, so keep it only with tiny, peaceful tankmates and a mature tank with live pods. Several similar Trimma species are sold under generic names, so identification is often uncertain.