Mystery Fish ... no name at pet store

[woodlitnight]

I recently went to a new pet store nearby and purchased a couple really cool looking fish... Unfortunately there was only a price tag, no name. The kid at the store had no idea either.

Can someone identify this fish for me? I've never seen it before.
http://goerlich.org/photos/fishtank/tn/20031127_fishtank_11.jpg.html
http://goerlich.org/photos/fishtank/tn/20031127_fishtank_16.jpg.html
http://goerlich.org/photos/fishtank/tn/20031127_fishtank_32.jpg.html

I used a webcam to take the pic's so they are a bit blurry.

Thanks!

 

[Fruitbat]

What you've got there is definitely a goby, possibly of the Genus Stigmatogobius. In my limited experience with gobies I've found that most of them prefer relatively hard, brackish water to one degree or another, though they'll usually survive in straight fresh water. Most of them prefer live food although they'll often take frozen. I've never personally seen one flourish on flake or freeze-dried foods. They get to about 10cm (4 inches) long, if it is the Genus I suspect it is.

Oh...I've also found them to be pretty bad in the 'fin-nipping' department. Keep an eye on the other residents of their aquarium.

 

[woodlitnight]

Cool. Goby!

Hmm. well, they are currently in 7.4 pH water, hopefully they'll be able to handle it.

As far as fin nipping goes, a found one of my tetra's just last night with the front part of his face missing. Perhaps Mr. Goby is the suspect?

Thanks for the identification

 

[Fruitbat]

A pleasure. Tetra has parts missing, eh?? Yeah....I would suspect one of your new little darlings is the culprit. They do like yummy little fish!

 

[Allivymar]

Interesting; gobys have been appearing in lfs around here the past month or so. Wonder if this is goby season?

Anyway, buncha goby info here (do check out the links too): http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/bracgobioids.htm

 

[Fishy]

I purchased 2 bumblebee gobies 2 weeks ago. One has already died but the other seems to be going strong and is eating flake food. I have yet to venture into the "live" food thing. I did notice that the 2 cardinals I have in my tank are missing their back fins ... 8O!

 

[Fruitbat]

Bumblebee gobies (Brachygobius sp.) prefer brackish water to fresh and, in my experience, often won't eat anything but live or frozen food. I've heard of other people getting them to eat flake but I never managed that trick.

 

[possum]

Looks like some kind of killifish to me. check www.aka.org and see they have alot of pics in the gallery you might find it there.

 

[Fruitbat]

If we're still referring to the original pictures posted by cratch then it is definitely a goby. In fact...I will revise my genus guess and go one step farther.

That is a Peacock Gudgeon, Tateurndina ocellicauda, that is native to Papua New Guinea. The pH in the waters where they were first collected in 1953 was 7.0 - 7.6 with a total hardness of 80ppm.

Based on the information I've found T. ocellicauda gets up to about 6.5 cm (2.5 inches). Sexes are easily distinguished because the male develops a cranial hump that is absent in the females. They have been successfully spawned.

They prefer live or frozen food but some people have reported getting them to take flake and pellet food. They are best kept in a tank with pH between 6.8 - 7.8 with total hardness of up to 150ppm and a temperature range from 20-26 degrees C (about 70 - 80 degrees F).

Check this web site for some great pictures of a successful spawning:

http://www.tolibra.com/fish/tateu.htm

 

[Madame_X]

That is one cool fish! That would be perfect in my 29 gallon (once the cichlid tank is up and running and the brichardis are moved into their new home).

What is their temperament? Are they aggressive?

 

[Fruitbat]

I've only had personal experience with the Knight Goby, Stigmatogobius sadanundio, the Bumblebee Goby, Brachygobius sp., and the Crazy Fish (Bony-snouted Gudgeon), Butis butis. The Knight Goby and Bumblebee Goby all did best in slightly brackish water. The Crazy Fish was perfectly happy in fresh water. The Knight Goby was quite the fin nipper and smaller fish weren't safe with it.

From what I've been able to find, Tateurndina ocellicauda is pretty peaceful. Personally I'd worry a bit about keeping it with long-finned fish like bettas or with much smaller fish. Otherwise it sounds like a great fish and it sure is beautiful!!!

 

[possum]

oops my bad

i had 2 crazy fish a while back they were very cool fish...only 1 problem....both of them died after they tried to eat my mosquitofish that were almost half as big as the crazy fish!

 

[Fruitbat]

Guess that's one of the reaons they call 'em Crazy Fish (LOL)!!!!!!! Mine lived for about 5 years before it finally departed its mortal coil!!!

 

[possum]

How big did it get? i could never really find much info on them on the internet..i would love to have another one day when i have room for my ultimate oddball tank

 

[Fruitbat]

I remember it getting about 6 inches long. I gave it away when I decided to change my tank from an Asian biotope to an African one. The guy I gave it to was out of state so I lost contact with the fish. I don't know if it grew much more.

 

[Madame_X]

I need something to go in with my four pearl danios and South American puffer... the puffer is getting picked on by the brichardis (yeah, I know, cichlids need a cichlid tank) so he's pretty passive. I don't want anything in there that will pick on him.

I'll have to read up on them a bit... thanks!