Red-tailed goby
📖 Overview
Adults inhabit fast-flowing sections of clear rainforest streams over rocky bottoms . Hatching and larval stage occur at sea, postlarval stage to adult in freshwater . Commercial in Reunion, where they are caught during the few days when they return from sea to enter the rivers (Doug Fenner, pers. comm., 2002, Ref. 79840). Smallest gravid female reported 5.03 cm SL .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 6 - 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 10. Usually 11 unsegmented rays in second dorsal fin. Pectoral rays usually 19. Predorsal midline usually with 13-16 cycloid scales, anterior scales smaller than those posteriorly. Scales on flanks same size as those on caudal peduncle. Belly always with fairly large cycloid scales, about the same size as those on the caudal peduncle. Caudal fin with blackish or dusky horseshoe-shaped band close to margin, medial rays blackish or dusky .: fusiform / normal.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Red-tailed goby is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Diet information for Red-tailed goby is currently being compiled.
🥚 Reproduction
Females when ready to spawn wriggles under a loosely set stone. The eggs are spread into a flat mass as the fish holds fast to the under surface of a stone. The eggs are fastened to the stones by the gelatinous threads that cover them . The male ejects his milt on the mass of eggs . Spawning occurs in freshwater afterwhich eggs and larvae are washed down by the river current into the sea and goes back up the river after a month or so . The embryo development occurs in freshwater and the larvae should migrate to saltwater a few days following hatching. The larvae are carried by current to the sea where they grow up to the juvenile stage ("bichique"). At this stage the alevins get to the rivers and start going upstream during the new moon. They can go up to waterfalls higher than 10 meters with the help of their sucker-disc, that they can colonize waters up to 800m altitude .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; amphidromous ; depth range 0 - 5 m . Tropical; 42°N - 26°S, 42°E - 128°W East Africa) to Australs Island (French Polynesia) (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Red-tailed goby is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked — Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 17.9 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 200 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Red-tailed goby has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) — 31 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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