Violet goby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Violet goby |
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The violet goby (Gobioides broussonnetii) is a special type of fish called a goby. It lives in the waters along the Atlantic coast of North and South America. You can find it from South Carolina in the USA all the way down to northern Brazil. This fish likes to live in places where fresh water mixes with salty ocean water, like bays, river mouths, and estuaries. It especially likes muddy areas. People often call it the dragon goby or dragon fish because of its unique look.
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What Does the Violet Goby Look Like?
The violet goby has a long, thin body, much like an eel. Its top (dorsal) and bottom (anal) fins run almost the entire length of its body. It has very sharp teeth. However, these teeth are not for fighting. They are used to scrape algae off rocks.
When these fish are healthy, they have a beautiful, shiny, silvery-blue color. They also have a pattern of gold spots. Violet gobies sold in pet stores are usually about 3 to 5 inches (8 to 13 cm) long. In the wild, they can grow much larger, up to 24 inches (61 cm). But in an aquarium, they usually do not grow past 15 inches (38 cm). Male gobies have a long, pointed part called a genital papilla. Females have a shorter, blunt, and yellow one.
Where Do Violet Gobies Live and What Do They Eat?
Violet gobies usually live in swamps, streams, and estuaries. These places have water that is a mix of fresh and salt water. They prefer areas with a muddy bottom.
These gobies have very small eyes, so they do not see well. Because of this, they mainly find food by scavenging. They scoop up mouthfuls of mud or gravel from the bottom. Then, they sort out the food bits and spit out the rest. They also use their special teeth to scrape algae off rocks.
Caring for Violet Gobies in an Aquarium
In pet stores, this fish is often called "dragon goby" or "dragon fish." But the information given in stores can sometimes be wrong. These fish need very specific care. They might not survive in a regular home aquarium.
Violet gobies need brackish water. This means the water must be at least one-quarter as salty as ocean water. A single goby needs a tank that is at least four feet long. The bottom of the tank should have at least three inches of sand or soft mud. This is because they like to bury themselves in the bottom material.
They can be territorial with other violet gobies. So, you cannot keep many of them together in a standard-sized tank. They also cannot compete for food with common aquarium fish like tetras or barbs. This means they are not good for a general community tank. Most violet gobies are caught in the wild. They might have trouble learning to eat regular fish food. They mostly eat stringy algae. In an aquarium, they need plant-based foods like spirulina flakes or algae wafers.
Are Dragon Gobies Popular or Easy to Find?
These fish are not very common among people who keep aquariums. This might be because they are hard to find in stores. Dragon gobies often disappear from the market for long periods. But they are easier to find in stores near where they naturally live.
Also, they often hide all day long. They usually only come out when the lights are off and their owners are asleep. Pet stores sometimes say they are aggressive and can eat other fish. But they are actually quite gentle and almost blind. They just eat tiny bits of food from the bottom.
Violet Goby Behavior and Tank Mates
Even though the violet goby looks fierce with its big mouth and many teeth, it is a peaceful scavenger. If it gets enough food, it usually will not bother smaller fish. Any small, calm fish that can live in brackish water can be kept with violet gobies. Some examples are mollies, guppies, swordtails, platies, bumblebee goby, and glass fish.
It is best to keep the violet goby with peaceful fish. Because it has poor eyesight, other more active fish might bully it. However, if two violet gobies are in a tank that is too small, one will try to claim the whole area. It will then fiercely protect its territory.
Water Conditions: Temperature, pH, and Salinity
Violet gobies are usually healthy in water temperatures between 76-78°F (24-26°C). The pH level should be between 6.5 and 8.5. The salinity (saltiness) should be between 1.006 and 1.008.
Feeding Your Violet Goby
In the wild, violet gobies are scavengers. They need a variety of foods to stay healthy. But two things make feeding them tricky: their small throat size and very poor eyesight. Even though they have huge mouths full of teeth, their throats are quite small. This limits what they can eat.
They eat both animal and plant-based foods. This includes frozen bloodworms, frozen tubifex worms, baby brine shrimp, and vegetable flakes. If they are in a tank with other fish, violet gobies often cannot find enough food. This is because they cannot see well enough to compete. They also often feed at night.
Violet Goby Reproduction and Life Cycle
Violet gobies usually reproduce in a group. This group includes one male and three or more females. Females need many places to hide. The male needs a spot to build his nest.
To encourage them to lay eggs, feed them live meaty foods. Also, the water's saltiness should first drop from about 7 parts per thousand (1.006–1.008sg) to around 5 parts per thousand (1.004). Then, it should increase to about 30 parts per thousand (which is close to regular ocean saltiness, about 1.023sg). The male will mate with several females over one day. After the eggs are laid, the male guards them. The eggs hatch after about 1.5 to 2 days.
The baby fish, called fry, eat tiny living things like infusoria (especially rotifers) and "green water" (tiny algae). They eat these for up to a month. After that, they can eat baby brine shrimp nauplii.
Common Diseases
Dragon gobies can get many common aquarium illnesses. These include Columnaris and fin rot. These are bacterial infections that spread on the fish's skin and fins. They are usually treated with special antibacterial or antibiotic medications.
See also
In Spanish: Gobioides broussonnetii para niños
