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Barber goby (Elacatinus figaro) — Gobiidae

Barber goby

Elacatinus figaro
Family: Gobiidae

The Barber goby (Elacatinus figaro) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 3 cm.

Length
3.4 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–20.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Barber goby is a small cleaner goby (Gobiidae) from coastal waters of Brazil. The species grows to about 3 cm and has a slender body with a yellow longitudinal stripe over a dark flank. It keeps cleaning stations on the reef, where larger fish come to have parasites and dead skin removed, which it picks off. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Barber goby?

The Barber goby has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Barber goby live?

The Barber goby lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Barber goby get?

The Barber goby grows to a maximum of about 3 cm.

Is the Barber goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Barber goby is harmless to humans.

Is the Barber goby edible?

Yes, the Barber goby is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Barbier-poetsgrondel sourced
English name
Barber goby sourced
Scientific name
Elacatinus figaro
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Neon goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
3.4 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
20.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Elacatinus

More from the family Gobiidae

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