Goby
Fish
Scientific classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Actinopterygii
Order
Gobiiformes
Family
Gobiidae
Characteristics:
- The family of Goby Fish
includes more than 2,000 species.
- Goby fish like brackish
water and often live near coral reefs.
- Some species of Goby
fish are so small that they are around 1 centimeter long.
- Goby fish make
excellent aquarium pets, especially when adopted in mated pairs.
- A few species of Goby
fish are poisonous when eaten and contain a harmful neurotoxin.
Goby fish classification and scientific name:
The name Goby fish is commonly given
to members of the Gobiidae family. There are over 2,000 species within the
family and 200 genera. Some of the best-known species include the Yellowline
Goby (Elacatinus
figaro), Sharknose Goby (Elacatinus evalynae), and Diamond Watchman Goby (Valenciennea
puellaris). These are all popular aquarium fish. Even though
they are from different genera and species, they share similarities.
Habitation of Goby Fish:
Goby fish belong to the Gobiiformes
order. There are fish in this order that live in saltwater as well as those
that live in freshwater. They
are part of the Actinopterygii class. These are also known as ray-finned fish
and make up more than 50% of all vertebrates. Fish in this class have fins with
bony spines running through them, also called rays. They are part of the
Chordata phylum and Animalia kingdom.
Goby fish favor brackish water, where
saltwater and freshwater meet. Some live in saltwater primarily while many are
found in freshwater. With such diversity of species within the Goby fish
family, they can be found in many places across the globe. They often live around coral reefs, where they make up between 20 and 30
percent of the inhabitants. Because they are small, Goby fish don’t need a lot
of space to swim around. They are often seen in streams and even tidepools. In
their native environments, Goby maintain a robust population and are a vital
part of the ecosystem. Some Goby have found their way to new habitats and
become an invasive species. For
example, the Round Goby (Apollonia melanostomus) is now found in the Great
Lakes, outside of their natural habitat of the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. Michigan classifies them as an invasive species that
is causing significant damage to the ecosystem.
Appearance of Goby Fish:
With so many different species, how are Goby fish distinguished
from other types of swimming creatures? They have one distinct physical
characteristic that marks them as Goby fish. All Gobies have fused pelvic fins.
This creates a sucker at the back of their body. This sucker is functional as
well as physically distinctive. Goby fish use it to stick to coral and rocks in
the wild. These fish in aquariums are even known to stick to the glass or plastic sides
of their habitat using their fused pelvic fin.
Goby fish vary in size but most are smaller fish. The Dwarf Pygmy
Goby (Pandaka
pygmaea) is the smallest Goby and one of the smallest fish known to exist. The largest Dwarf Pygmy Gobies are
female and they get up to 1.5 centimeters long. Males are a bit smaller, around
1 centimeter. On the other end of the spectrum is the Giant Goby (Gobius
cobitis). It lives in the Atlantic, Black Sea, and
the Mediterranean. They grow up to 11 inches.
Goby Fish predator and prey:
Goby are small fish and make easy prey for larger fish as well as
sea birds. The same Round Goby that are invasive in the Great Lakes
are eaten by Smallmouth
Bass, Largemouth
Bass, and other bigger fish. Birds such as gulls and cormorants also go after these small fish.
Reproduction:
Not all species of Goby fish reproduce
in the same way but the vast majority lay their eggs on the reef or algae where
they live. They can lay up to thousands of eggs at a time. Both male and female
Goby fish parents take care of the eggs as they mature. The males guard the
eggs from predators and fan them to increase the concentration of oxygen around
the eggs. The females make sure that the area is safe.
When they hatch, baby Goby fish are larvae. The smallest Goby fish
have teeny tiny babies, making them very vulnerable to environmental elements
and predators. They often float away on even a slight current, sometimes
returning after days or weeks when they are more mature.
Goby fish can live up to 10 years, although it varies
significantly by species. Even Goby fish in aquariums can live a long time.
They can be territorial and many species live in mated pairs. When adopting a
Goby fish for your aquarium, many pet owners recommend getting a mated pair.
Just be ready to witness the birth of baby Goby fish!
Food:
Goby fish are a bit like mushrooms. Some are safe
to eat and others will cause significant health problems. The National Institutes of Health conducted a study of Gobi species and how they related to
cases of Tetrodotoxin poisoning. Tetrodotoxin is a neurotoxin that can cause
problems with breathing, nausea and vomiting, and general weakness. In severe
cases, it can even cause death. The study found that certain species of Goby,
including Yongeichthys
kaohsiung which is native to Taiwan, contain this toxin. When preparing Goby fish, most recipes call for you to fry the
fish similar to serving sardines or other small fish. It is not a popular fish to cook and eat,
however. It is more often caught for use in aquariums.
Population:
With so many species, it’s hard to pinpoint exact population data for the entire
family of Goby fish. While many maintain a healthy population and even expand
to new areas where they become invasive, such as the Round Goby, others have
more trouble. The Tidewater Goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) is considered endangered by
the Endanged
Species Protection Program. These Gobies live off
the California coast, from Del Norte County in the north to San
Diego County in the south. They were classified as
endangered in 1994. Because they require such specific salinity, or salt
content, in their environment, it became difficult for this species to maintain
peak population numbers when their habitat began to change.
Related fishes to Goby Fish:
Leopold’s Angelfish: These are popular aquarium companion fish for Gobies.
They top out around 4 inches long, similar to mid-sized Goby.
Blennies: This is another popular aquarium fish. It actually includes several families of fish, many of whom live
in brackish water just like Gobies. They are also around 3 or 4 inches long.
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