Taxonomy & naming
Rhinogobius chiengmaiensis was described by Fowler (1934) and is listed as valid by the Catalog of Fishes, with the type locality Chieng Mai, northern Thailand. The spelling of the place name in the epithet follows the old transliteration.
Morphology
Rhinogobius are small, stocky freshwater gobies with a rounded head and fused pelvic fins forming a sucker disc. Males in many species are more strongly marked, with colour on the fins and cheeks. FishBase gives a maximum of 2 in TL for this species; fine colour details have not been compiled here.
Habitat
FishBase says the species inhabits hill streams and lists it as freshwater and demersal, known from Thailand. The type locality, near Chiang Mai in the upper Ping basin, fits that picture of hill and foothill streams. Measured water parameters have not been published.
Feeding
FishBase reports that it feeds on insect larvae, small fishes and shrimps, which makes it a bottom predator that should not be kept with very small tankmates.
Mating
Courtship has not been described for this species. Males of many Rhinogobius defend a cavity under a stone and court females there.
Breeding
Within the genus, some species are landlocked and breed entirely in fresh water, and others are amphidromous, with larvae going to sea. Which applies to this species has not been described.
In the aquarium
Rhinogobius gobies of cool to subtropical hill streams are generally kept in tanks with flow, cobbles and no heating in cooler climates. Husbandry for this species has not been documented, so this is genus-level guidance only. Fish sold under a Rhinogobius species name are often not verified, and identity in the trade is frequently uncertain.
Conservation
The IUCN lists Rhinogobius chiengmaiensis as Vulnerable, meaning it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. The species is known only from northern Thailand.