What is the name of this fish?
- Thread starter professorjimjam
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Definitely a Goby but what specie don't know.
Blue dot sleeper goby
Definitely a marine fish, I don’t own one but they are a good sand sifter.
Definitely a marine fish, I don’t own one but they are a good sand sifter.
There are many species of fish that do this, vacuuming up mouthfuls of sand and sift out the small edibles, and expelling sand thru the gills.
The one above and below is a freshwater goby of the genus Awaous, its mouth has evolved into an efficient vacuum tube.
But Goby's are not the only ones, there are cichlids in Central and South America, and in Africa the have each evolved independently often called "earth-eaters
(genus Geophagus, Gymnogeophagus, and Taeniolethrinops (among others in Africa) that have perfected the same technique, and developed similar mouth and jaw construction.
Above Cribroheros rostratus from Central America, note its eyes are set back, to allow the snout to be jammed into the substrate to allow sand to be sucked up, strained thru the gill rakers and expelled, Geophagus with a very similar mouth below.
The one above and below is a freshwater goby of the genus Awaous, its mouth has evolved into an efficient vacuum tube.
But Goby's are not the only ones, there are cichlids in Central and South America, and in Africa the have each evolved independently often called "earth-eaters
(genus Geophagus, Gymnogeophagus, and Taeniolethrinops (among others in Africa) that have perfected the same technique, and developed similar mouth and jaw construction.
Above Cribroheros rostratus from Central America, note its eyes are set back, to allow the snout to be jammed into the substrate to allow sand to be sucked up, strained thru the gill rakers and expelled, Geophagus with a very similar mouth below.
Thank you guys. I saw this sand sifting for the first time. Nature is full of marvel.
Another earth-eater from Lake Malawi in Africa, is Fossorochromis rostratus. They travel in large shoals across sandy areas mouthing the sand.
But beyond that, it has been able to use the sand in another way.
At the sign of a predator the entire shoal can dive beneath the sand, disappear and lie buried motionless until danger has passed.
I noticed this in my own tank, when disturbed they would dive into the sand, and the tank appeared empty, quite the feat for 10"- 12" fish .
But beyond that, it has been able to use the sand in another way.
At the sign of a predator the entire shoal can dive beneath the sand, disappear and lie buried motionless until danger has passed.
I noticed this in my own tank, when disturbed they would dive into the sand, and the tank appeared empty, quite the feat for 10"- 12" fish .
i believe these guys are jumpers. i lost several sand sifters in my ill fated attempts at SW keeping
For sure. I haven’t had any jumpers, but most gobies, wrasses, and blennies are famous for preferring the carpet to the tank.