I recently completed my first ever article pertaining to native fish. I
decided to write the article about one of my favorites, the Crested Goby.
Little if anything is written about these guys so I decided to put something
together for my website. Please take a quick read and tell me what you
think. Any questions, comments, opinions, suggestions or critisisms are
welcomed and appreciated. I would like to get some responce before I go
ahead and publish it.
Thanks,
Here is the article:
CRESTED GOBY (LOPHOGOBIUS CYPRINOIDS)
With a "cheeky" face like a chipmunk and the wise demeanor of an old
underwater Basset Hound, the Crested Goby is an absolute joy to keep in the
home aquarium.
Native to Bermuda, Fla., and the Bahamas to central and northern S. America,
the Crested Goby prefers tidal creeks, mangroves and other quiet, fresh to
fully saline coastal waters. Crested Gobies are also known to frequent
canals and other slow moving watersheds throughout southern Florida.
In captivity (fresh or saltwater) these intelligent Gobies with magnificent
fan-like fins typically spend the day lazily wandering along the bottom
keeping in close range to their territorial hiding spot or cave. Tankmates
who venture too close to the Goby's staked out boundaries will be swiftly
chased away.
Once acclimated to the aquarium these extremely hardy fish will eat just
about anything that passes by. Despite their size (up to 10") the Crested
Goby is a great addition to the community aquarium. While it will eat small
fish, faster swimmers over an inch in length are typically not on it's menu.
I have kept mine with Bluefin Killies and Rummynose Tetras with nary a
problem .
Keeping these "underwater hounds" well fed makes them quite docile. All mine
readily take frozen foods, ghost shrimp, tadpoles, crayfish, dried
bloodworms, peas, and small mosquitofish.
Much like man's best friend each Goby will soon recognize and greet it's
master when approaching the tank. They are the least bit shy and will feed
right from your hands in no time, quickly snatching the food and swiftly
returning to it's "spot" to consume it's meal in peace.
Upon closer observation, the subtle markings of these handsome fish can be
appreciated. Bluish-green spots accent rosy cheeks with small red to maroon
spots speckled throughout their large transparent fins. Bright aquarium
lighting is a plus.
Little is known about spawning in captivity and I have yet to give them a go
around. The female of the species is easily recognized by a bright orange
square located on it's dorsal fin. Males are typically darker in coloration.
Known for their unique crest at the top of their head, both take on a
marbled appearance that can become darker and more pronounced during feeding
or when defending territory.
The Crested Goby is one of my favorite native tropical species. Although
they are rare to non-existent in the hobby, these fish are quite content in
the home aquarium. They can be kept with others of their own kind as long as
they are housed in an adequately sized tank. They prefer a temperature range
between 70 - 85 F. making them suitable for a large variety of community
settings.
-Spike
Spike's Everglades Aquarium
http://www.millevolte.com/aquariumindex.html
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