Goby, << GOH bee, >> is the name of about 2,000 kinds of fish that live in the shallow parts of warm oceans. A few species also live in cool ocean waters and enter freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes. Gobies have a pair of pelvic fins that join on the underside of the body to form a cup. This cup can create suction, which enables the fish to attach itself to rocks, coral, or other fish.
Most gobies are only about 1 to 5 inches (2.5 to 13 centimeters) long. One kind found in the Indian Ocean, the dwarf goby, ranks among the world’s tiniest fish and smallest vertebrates (animals with backbones). It measures about 2/5 inch (1 centimeter) long. However, a few gobies grow to 1 foot (30 centimeters) in length.
Different gobies eat different foods, including crabs, mussels, shrimp, worms, and small fish. Certain kinds of gobies undergo a process called sex reversal. They are born as females and become males later in life. Some gobies burrow into sand or mud, while others live with shrimp in coral reef burrows. A few species of gobies are kept in home aquariums.
In the 1980’s, gobies were accidentally introduced into the Great Lakes of North America. They reproduced quickly and became so abundant that they threatened the survival of many fish native to those waters.
See also Mudskipper.
