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Cleaner goby (Elacatinus genie) — Gobiidae

Cleaner goby

Elacatinus genie
Family: Gobiidae
LC · Least Concern

The Cleaner goby (Elacatinus genie) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 5 cm.

Length
4.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The cleaner goby (Elacatinus genie) is a tiny reef goby of the western central Atlantic, known from the Bahamas and Grand Cayman. It reaches only 4.5 centimetres and lives on live coral at 1-30 metres. The whitish body bears two black longitudinal stripes separated by a band that is bright yellow on the head. Adults are cleaners: they remove skin parasites from other reef fishes, which present themselves at fixed cleaning stations. The species forms monogamous pairs. It is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Cleaner goby?

The Cleaner goby has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly multicoloured and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Cleaner goby live?

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

How big does the Cleaner goby get?

The Cleaner goby grows to a maximum of about 5 cm.

Is the Cleaner goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Cleaner goby is harmless to humans.

Is the Cleaner goby edible?

The Cleaner goby is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Poetsgrondel inferred
English name
Cleaner goby verified
Scientific name
Elacatinus genie
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Cleaner goby; Cleaning goby; Genie's cleaning goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
4.5 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Multicoloured verified
Pattern
Horizontal stripes verified
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No verified
Dorsal fins
Two separate verified
Dorsal spines
Yes verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore verified
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
Yes inferred
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten verified
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

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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