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Amur goby (Rhinogobius brunneus) — Gobiidae

Amur goby

Rhinogobius brunneus
Family: Gobiidae
LC · Least Concern

The Amur goby (Rhinogobius brunneus) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
5.8 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The Amur goby is a small goby of the family Gobiidae (gobies) reaching about 6 cm. The brownish, faintly blotched body bears fine red streaks on the cheek; like all true gobies it has the pelvic fins fused into a sucker with which the fish clings to stones in current. The species comes from East Asia and lives in clear streams and rivers with stony bottoms; some populations are amphidromous and migrate between fresh and brackish water, with larvae drifting to sea and young fish running back up. On the bottom it searches for insect larvae, small crustaceans and worms. The male guards the eggs laid under a stone. It occasionally appears in the aquarium hobby.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Amur goby?

The Amur goby has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Amur goby live?

The Amur goby lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Amur goby get?

The Amur goby grows to a maximum of about 6 cm. On average the species is around 5 cm.

Is the Amur goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Amur goby is harmless to humans.

Is the Amur goby edible?

The Amur goby is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bruine riviergrondel inferred
English name
Amur goby verified
Scientific name
Rhinogobius brunneus
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Amur goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
5.8 verified
Average length (cm)
4.5 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No verified
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline verified
Substrate
Stone or rock verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore verified
Social behaviour
Small groups verified
Territorial
Yes verified
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes verified
Sexual dimorphism
Yes verified

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten verified
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 Rhinogobius

More from the family Gobiidae

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