Hobbies And Interests
Typical Goby Diet
The goby is a carnivore and will eat a diet that largely consists of invertebrates (animals without backbones), although eating habits will vary depending on which area of the world the goby lives in. For example, the Atlantic mudskipper (residing on the west African coast) goby typically consumes worms, insects and crustaceans. Fire gobies that reside in the Indian and Pacific Oceans will feed on animal plankton, plants and animals that are in the water. There is also a species of neon (or cleaner) gobies that live off the parasites that are harbored by other fish, which can be particularly helpful to the ecosystem of an aquarium.
Round Goby Invaders
In 1990, the round goby (Apollonia melanostomus) was found in the St. Clair River, a channel that connects Lake Huron and Lake St. Claire. Believed to have arrived here through discharged ballast water, this family of fish are considered aggressive because they disrupt the already established aquatic communities by taking over and then voraciously defending their spawning sites in the rocky habitats, prohibiting other species from spawning there. They also feed on the eggs and fry of native fish, including that of the limited reproductive lake trout. However, they also give the advantage of eating another Great Lakes invader, the zebra mussel, thereby decreasing the large number of this very reproductive species in the water.
Fish Tank Feeding
In captivity, gobies are generally easy to look after and keep well fed. They can eat fresh or frozen fish foods, but need at least some live sustenance to keep them going. Crustaceans and small shrimp are ideal, as well as plant matter like algae as a fibrous addition to their diet. However, as there are so many species of goby, it is necessary to check the typical diet of the type you are looking to buy to ensure that the fish is cared for appropriately.