Stiphodon ID

[HappyPoet]

Hi all,
I recently obtained 5 Stiphodon gobies. All were labeled as sp. "rainbow."
I am certain that 3 of them are, in fact, rainbow.
I am certain that 1 is "orange-fin."
Can you tell me if the goby here is a rainbow in different coloration from the rest (which look typical to me)?
The one inset is the orange-fin. Please excuse his participation in the thread!
Thanks!

[Glenny]

I think the first picture seems an orange fin, the second picture seems a semoni. But we have to ask Odessey! Odessey, please help to ID these stipho's!

[plaalye]

First one looks like sp. "orange fin", or ST01 here
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.ph ... %27ST01%27[%2Fpl]&id=1387

Second one doesn't look like s. semoni to me, but rather a young sp. "rainbow", or ST02. They also have blue cheeks etc. depending on the light & angle.
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.ph ... %27ST02%27[%2Fpl]&id=1427

[HappyPoet]

Thanks for your replies. Yes, the top one is definitely "orange-fin."
I have 3 that looks exactly like this "rainbow", but the little blue guy looks really different.
Could they be different strains of rainbows? I thought maybe semoni as well. Is there a way to differentiate between the two for sure?
Again, this is what 3 of my rainbows look like, and I know this is rainbow color. I just don't know about the blue one in my first post.

[plaalye]

It's not a clear picture, but I'd say it's the same. Look at the vertical bars.They do vary quite a bit. Note that sp."rainbow" is used as a common name to describe what are likely more than one species.

[HappyPoet]

Thank you! I think you're right about the bars.

[odyssey]

Hi HappyPoet.

I cannot yet know those scientific ID.
So I do not know whether this Stiphodon is semoni.
This Stiphodon is called the "Blue-moon" in Japan.
A characteristic of this Stiphodon is that a pectoral and two dorsal fin are transparent.



Many white dots are scattered on a pectoral and the second dorsal fin of "Rainbow-color".


I think that insight of plaalye is enough,
but how about confirming the characteristic mentioned above if you have a chance.

[wasserscheu]

... I just don't know about the blue one in my first post. ...

Hi,

I have 2 that looked like "typical rainbows" when they were younger but in the last year or two they showed mainly in blue and partially almost velevet-black. Unfourtunately colours don't seem to help at all definig their ID.

[HappyPoet]

Thank you, Odyssey. I think that clarifies it for me. He's by far the youngest of my group, but he appears to be developing colors in his dorsal fin and he has a colorful second dorsal fin, so I think he's "rainbow-color."

Also, I read through your long Stiphodon thread on this forum while setting up my tank. I really appreciate all the fantastic pictures and information you have provided here.

Aaron