What Does a Goby of the Order Perciformes Look Like? Diet and Keeping Methods Explained in Detail

Gobies inhabit the nearshore intertidal zone or shallow sea areas with mud, sand, or rocky reefs as substrate, and are also found throughout the freshwater rivers of Africa; they are a highly valued game fish. So, what does a goby of the order Perciformes look like? What food does it eat? How is it kept?

1. What does a goby of the order Perciformes look like?

Gobies generally have a body length of 100-150 cm, with the largest not exceeding 500 cm and the smallest only 7-9 cm. The body is oval, elongated, or eel-shaped, and laterally compressed. The head is laterally compressed or flattened. The eyes do not protrude from the top of the head in goby appearance, and there is no free lower eyelid.

The mouth is large, with the two jaws equal in length or the lower jaw and chin protruding. The upper and lower jaws have multiple rows of teeth, sometimes straight or curved, and often no teeth. The edge of the preoperculum is smooth or has fine serrations, and there is sometimes a depression above the operculum.

2. What food does it eat?

Gobies have strong vitality and are not easily killed by being out of water. They mainly feed on crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs, small fish, clam larvae, and so on; some feed on benthic diatoms, and freshwater-dwelling species also eat aquatic insects and worms. After being trained to accept food, gobies can adapt to some artificial diets, such as beef, breadworms, insects, fish chunks, hamburger, and so on.

3. How is it kept?

Gobies are very sensitive. If your goby's body color often changes unstably (too dark or changing color), it is very likely caused by water quality problems. Please test whether ammonia nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate, and pH are within the normal range, and whether dissolved oxygen is sufficient.

In addition, it may also be caused by space limitations or attacks by other fish. If none of the above is the case, you can consider adjusting the salinity of the water, because some gobies like brackish water.

When keeping gobies, you should try to imitate the natural environment, plant some aquatic plants, place some rocks, and make some stone caves. You can also use some ceramic flower pots to simulate rock caves, which can make the gobies happier. Sufficient dissolved oxygen and a certain water flow are indispensable for gobies.