Sand goby (Pomatoschistus minutus)

Scientific name: Pomatoschistus minutus Pallas, 1770

The Sand goby (Pomatoschistus minutus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Gobiidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 8–24°C (46–75°F).

Sand goby care at a glance

Temperature: 8–24°C (46–75°F)

Biology

This occasionally schooling species is found in inshore sandy and muddy areas. Juveniles found in lower estuaries. Mainly diurnal, this species feeds on small polychaetes, amphipods (corophiids, caprellids), cumaceans and mysids. Spawns in summer in shallow waters. Male lures the female into an empty bivalve shell where she lays a portion of eggs. Guarded by the male for 10 days until larvae about 3 mm long. Larvae are pelagic at first. Young fish only start to live at the bottom when 17-18 mm.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Pomatoschistus minutus
Family: Gobiidae (Gobies)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 11.0
Depth range: 4–200 m (13–656 ft)
Environment: Marine; brackish; demersal; oceanodromous; depth range 4 - 200 m
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: Eastern Atlantic: from Norway to Spain; also Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea, but probably not throughout. Pomatoschistus minutus elongatus exists in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: public aquariums
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.93; tm=0.7; tmax=2.7; fec = 5,231)