Hypseleotris Compressa

Datasheet

General Description:
The Empire Gudgeon, scientifically known as Hypseleotris Compressa, belongs to the Eleotridae family within the Perciformes order. These fish can reach up to 12.0cm in size and are native to northern and eastern Australia, as well as southern New Guinea.

Aquarium Setup:
For an optimal aquarium setup for Empire Gudgeons, a tank with a minimum size of 96 litres is recommended. It is essential to provide hiding places and cover in the aquarium to create broken lines of sight. This setup allows weaker individuals to escape continuous attention from dominant fish. A sponge-type filtration system is ideal, and the water temperature should range between 20-35°C, with a pH level of 5.0-9.1 and water hardness between 36-447ppm.

Behaviour:
In the aquarium, Empire Gudgeons exhibit territorial behavior. Males intensify in color and actively try to entice females to spawn while defending their chosen territory against other males.

Feeding and Diet:
Empire Gudgeons mainly feed on small invertebrates, crustaceans, and similar organisms in nature. In an aquarium setting, they should be offered small live or frozen foods such as bloodworms, mosquito larvae, Artemia, Daphnia, and Mysis, although they also accept dried foods.

Reproduction & Dimorphism:
Reproduction of Empire Gudgeons is rarely achieved in aquaria due to their complex breeding strategy. In their natural habitat, adults spawn in freshwater streams, and the larvae are washed downstream to the sea. The male fish assumes sole responsibility for brood care after spawning, incubating approximately 3000 tiny eggs for around 24 hours.

Habitat and Distribution:
The Empire Gudgeon is found in freshwater streams in northern and eastern Australia, including regions from Western Australia's Pilbara and Kimberley areas to the New South Wales Towamba river system. The fish are also present in southern New Guinea. The type locality for this species is the Clarence River and creeks near Port Denison, Australia.