Individual Fish Description Page
This page will give a completely detailed profile of the
selected fish, from A to Z. This months profile was written mostly by Richard Mleczko, He has an extensive site dedicated to the Mudskipper. If you need any help or have questions regarding these wonderful fish, please feel free toEmail him and be sure to visit his site
Richard's Mudskipper (and Brackish Goby) Home Page.
for much more information on these fish.
If you have a specific fish you want
profiled please vote for it in the favorite fish poll on the main index page.
photo by Richard Mleczko
|
Periophthalmus argentilineatus
Overview:
Mudskippers, like most gobies are a very hardy fish to
keep. They love live foods but will take dry fish food as well. Their behavior ranges from docile to active to very aggressive. They are very territorial and this behavior is exciting to watch as they raise and lower their dorsal fins in acts of aggression. It is better to keep more than one as a loner will rarely raise its dorsal fin. However keeping too many results in fighting
which can lead to maiming and death. Loosing an eye or fin in not uncommon. They a very comical to watch as they leap around the aquarium. A quote from a scientific journal states: "It is doubtful if there is any other group of fishes in which so much general interest is based on so little
scientific knowledge."
Quick stats:
size: |
up to 6 inches |
tank: |
4 foot |
strata: |
amphibious |
pH: |
7 to 8.5 |
Hardness: |
hard |
temperature: |
26o to 32o C, 79o to 88o F |
Classification:
Phylum : | Chordata |
Class : | Osteichthyes |
Order: | Perciformes
|
Family: | Gobiidae |
Genera: | Periophthalmus |
Species : | argentilineatus (the most widespread species) |
Common name:
mudskipper
Distribution:
West Africa, East Africa, Madagascar, Arabian Gulf to
India, SE Asia, China, Japan, Australia to Tonga.
photo by Richard Mleczko
General Body Form:
Generally long and thin. The head is very large with a protruding snout and the eyes project above the top of the head. The pectoral fins are very muscular and almost resemble arms which allow the Mudskipper to raise its body off the bottom and onto the land. The ventral fins are also partially fused and they form a suction disc The Dorsal fins tall and shaped like a sail.
Coloration:
Species dependent but can be greyish, brownish, with
blue, purple or orange spots. Usually with some coloration in the dorsal fins like spots or stripes.
Maintenance:
They are not too difficult to maintain if you are prepared
to provide a terraquarium setup with brackish water. Mudskippers are able to drag themselves out of the water and onto the land using their strong pectoral fins and they can jump long distances when disturbed. When out of the water they need very humid air. The terraquarium setup should be a large shallow tank with very soft sand with Mangrove roots and flat stones.
Biotope:
Muddy banks of Mangrove swamps in their home regions.
photo by Richard Mleczko
Breeding:
None recorded in captivity. mudskippers are egg layers.
Eggs are laid and fertilized in the burrows.
Oxygen in the burrows is provided by the mudskipper
who gulps air at the surface which he then releases deep
inside the burrow.
Eggs hatch after about 5 days and the young mudskipper
becomes amphibious after about 50 days.
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