Rhinogobius Giurinus

Datasheet

General Description

Rhinogobius Giurinus, a member of the Gobiidae family, is a species that showcases variability in color patterns and morphology. With over 60 recognized species, it is often challenging to accurately diagnose identifying features due to similarities among them. These fish possess distinct characteristics such as ctenoid scales on their bodies and a unique head structure with infraorbital sensory papilla rows. Rhinogobius species are commonly found in continental Asia, including countries like Russia, Korea, China, Vietnam, and Thailand, as well as various islands in the Western Pacific.

Aquarium Setup

Maintaining Rhinogobius Giurinus in an aquarium mimicking flowing streams is recommended. The tank should have a substrate of rocks, sand, fine gravel, and water-worn boulders, creating a network of hiding spots. It is advisable to include hardy aquatic plants like Microsorum or Anubias spp. for cover. Clean water with high oxygen levels is crucial, necessitating regular water changes of 30-50% tank volume. While turbulent conditions are unnecessary, the presence of dissolved oxygen and gentle water movement is beneficial for the fish's well-being. Marine salt is not needed as these fish thrive in freshwater conditions.

Behaviour

Newly-imported Rhinogobius Giurinus may exhibit aggression towards conspecifics, making it ideal to keep them in sexed pairs rather than groups. Males are known to engage in fights, occasionally resulting in fatalities, while females may also be targeted. When housed in a community tank, choosing medium-sized, pelagic fish like Devario or Barilius is recommended to prevent aggression towards slow-moving tankmates and predation on smaller species like shrimp.

Feeding and Diet

Being opportunistic carnivores, Rhinogobius Giurinus feed on small invertebrates, crustaceans, and similar prey in the wild. In captivity, they should be offered small live or frozen foods such as bloodworms, mosquito larvae, Artemia, and Daphnia. While they may accept dried foods after acclimatization, a varied diet is essential for their health.

Reproduction & Dimorphism

Rhinogobius Giurinus exhibits an amphidromous breeding strategy where adults spawn in freshwater or brackish streams, and the pelagic larvae are swept downstream to marine environments. Males guard the eggs after spawning, with incubation lasting 3-4 days. Males are more colorful than females and develop extended fin rays as they mature.

Habitat and Distribution

These fish inhabit estuaries, shallow freshwater tributaries, and streams with substrates of sand, mud, or rock. They prefer clear waters with minimal aquatic vegetation. Rhinogobius Giurinus is naturally distributed across China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. There have been introductions of this species in locations like Singapore and the Tibetan Plateau.