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Others
/ Gobiidae / Dragon Fish
Dragon Fish, Violet Goby
Gobioides broussonnetii | Pictures
Synonyms: Amblyopus
brasiliensis, A. mexicanus, Gobioides oblongus, Ognichodes broussonnetii, Plecopodus broussonnetii
Physical description: A slender, elongated, eel-like species with a large head.
The spiny dorsal fin runs nearly the
length of the body, while the anal fin runs along the rear half of the body.
The caudal fin is also long.
The
large scales are marked with brown markings.
The back is brownish while the flanks are silver with a violet iridescence.
The
fins are brownish.
Size/Length: To 25" (64 cm) in nature, although smaller in captivity.
Similar species: None
Habitat: In coastal estuaries with fresh to brackish water having a muddy substrate.
North
America to South America; from Georgia south to Northwestern Brazil
S: bottom
Aquarium: A 48" (122 cm) or 55 gallon (209 L) tank is adequate.
Use a fine gravel or preferably, sand
substrate, because this fish likes to bury itself, and sharp rocks can injure the fish.
Provide hiding places with rocks, wood,
roots, caves, tubes, and tunnels.
Leave large, open areas on the bottom for foraging.
Water chemistry: pH 7.2-8.5 (8.1), 12-30 dH (20), 68-75°F (20-24°C).
A 1% addition of salt is recommended
as these fish are found in brackish water.
This can be accomplished by adding 7.5 TSP of salt/ 10 gallons (10
g/10 L).
Social behavior: A highly territorial, solitary fish that should be kept in a species tank.
This
fish is often territorial and aggressive towards others of its own species.
Suggested companions: Large livebearers, Scats, Monos,
Arius, Rainbowfish.
FOOD: Live; fish, earthworms,
Tubifex , aquatic insects, insect larvae;
chopped meat.
In nature this species feeds on small organisms in the substrate, by sifting mud in its mouth.
Sexual differences: No external differences are known, although males are more territorial at spawning
times.
Breeding techniques: Spawning is possible in a large aquarium.
Success in captive spawning is documented
by Harper in Tropical Fish Hobbyist
(#473),
on pages 130-132.
He suggests using a spawning group of one male and three or more females.
The tank should be furnished with hiding
places for the females and as a nest for the male.
The fish should not be fed for a week and then conditioned on live
foods.
The salinity should be lowered 5 ppt and then raised 5-10 ppt to 30 ppt salinity.
The male will spawn with several females
over the course of a day.
Following spawning, the females should be removed and the male will guard the eggs.
After
36-48 hours, the fry hatch and the male should be removed.
After the egg sacs are consumed, he fry can be
fed roftiers and "green water" containing algae.
After a month,
Artemia nauplii can be fed.
Breeding potential: 10.
No spawnings in captivity have been reported.
REMARKS: Handle this fish with care, they can inflict a painful bite.
Difficulty of care: 7.
A highly aggressive fish that requires a diet of live foods, and is best kept in a species
tank
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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