Fish of the Month

Image by Gunther Schmida, sourced from the Murray-Darling Basin Commission

Swan River Goby (Pseudogobius olorum)

Also known as the Blue-Spot Goby and the Southern Goby.

This is one of Victoria’s smallest fish, growing to only 3.5 to 8cm in length. It has a rounded head, short snout and smallish eyes positioned high on the sides of the head, near the tip of the nose.  It is quite a colourful fish - light brown or green to yellowish on the upper body and lighter on the sides, with a cream or white belly and a blotchy body. The fins can have dark narrow lines, black and blue spots, lines of dark spots, and bluish edges.

The Swan River Goby lives mainly in brackish lagoons and upper estuaries along the Victorian coast.  It can live in water that is almost twice as salty as the sea!

The fish dig burrows under stones or tree roots, and are often seen with just their heads sticking out of their burrows.

Their diet includes algae and small crustaceans.

Gobies are thought to breed in early to late spring. The females lay up to 150 eggs, which are attached to the roof of the burrow. The male stays with the eggs, fanning them and fiercely defending them.

This species is still fairly common, but makes a convenient meal for many wading birds because it lives in shallow water and is easy to see.