Home · Gobiidae · Bichique
Bichique (Sicyopterus lagocephalus) — Gobiidae

Bichique

Sicyopterus lagocephalus
Family: Gobiidae
LC · Least Concern

The Bichique (Sicyopterus lagocephalus) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Depth
0.0–5.0 m
Diet
Herbivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The red-tailed goby is a goby of the family Gobiidae from the Indo-Pacific. The species grows to about 13 cm and has an elongate body; males can show a red tail and bright courtship colours. Adults inhabit fast-flowing sections of clear rainforest streams over rocky bottoms. It is an amphidromous species: after hatching the larvae wash to sea and the young fish later return and climb up waterfalls using their fused, sucker-like pelvic fins. With its rasping, downward-facing mouth it grazes algae from stones. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bichique?

The Bichique has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Bichique live?

The Bichique lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Bichique get?

The Bichique grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Bichique dangerous to humans?

No, the Bichique is harmless to humans.

Is the Bichique edible?

The Bichique is rarely eaten.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Roodstaart-klimgrondel sourced
English name
Bichique verified
Scientific name
Sicyopterus lagocephalus
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Blue stream goby; Blue streamgoby; Rabbithead cling-goby; Red-tailed goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
13.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
5.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
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 sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Sicyopterus

More from the family Gobiidae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →