Naked goby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Naked goby |
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The naked goby (scientific name: Gobiosoma bosc) is a small fish. It gets its name because it doesn't have scales, unlike most fish! This interesting creature is a true goby and belongs to the Gobiosoma family.
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About the Naked Goby
The naked goby is quite small, usually less than 2 inches long. Its body is smooth because it doesn't have scales.
One cool thing about this fish is its special fins. Its pelvic fins are joined together. They form a shape like a suction cup! This helps the goby stick to surfaces.
Naked gobies can be different colors. They might be pale yellow or a murky brown. Some have faint stripes, like bars, along their bodies. These stripes can be hard to see on very light or dark fish.
Where Naked Gobies Live
Naked gobies mostly live in estuaries and along coastlines. Estuaries are places where fresh river water mixes with salty ocean water. They prefer water that is a bit salty, called brackish water.
You can find these gobies in the Western Atlantic Ocean. Their home range stretches from Connecticut all the way down to Mexico. In winter, they might even bury themselves in the mud at the bottom to stay warm.
Younger naked gobies are often found in estuaries. They are more common in estuaries south of New Jersey.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Naked gobies usually reproduce from May to November. They are oviparous, which means the females lay eggs.
Female gobies like to lay their eggs inside empty oyster shells. After the eggs are laid, the male goby becomes the guard. He stays with the eggs and protects them until they hatch.
Once the eggs hatch, tiny goby larvae swim freely. They might travel upstream and gather near oyster reefs. After a while, they settle down and grow into adult gobies.
These small fish can live for about 4 years.
What Naked Gobies Eat
Naked gobies are bottom-dwelling fish. This means they spend most of their time near the seabed. They have a mouth at the very front of their head, which helps them find food.
They mostly eat small worms and tiny crustaceans. Crustaceans are like small shrimp or crabs. Interestingly, naked gobies are also attracted to oysters that are hurt or have died.
Here's a look at some of the things they eat:
- Amphipods (small shrimp-like creatures)
- Aquatic insects and their larvae
- Other small shrimps
- Zooplankton (tiny animals floating in water)
- Worms called polychaetes
