Freshwater goby. The goby is a relic fish. Harm and contraindications

Description:
gobies belong to bottom coastal fishes. They have an elongated body covered with scales (up to 40 cm; compressed from behind), a large wide head, large eyes close to each other, two upper fins (one of them usually with bone rays), below - a sucker that arose from the fusion of the ventral fins. With this sucker Gobies are attached to the bottom stones and are quite firmly held even in heavy storm. Total Bychkovs in the Black Sea there are more than 10 species, and if we take into account the basin and the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov, then more than 20 species.

Reproduction:
Spawning is from March to August, at water temperatures above 10-12 °C. Male Goby builds a nest in a hole under a stone, enticing several females in turn, which cover the ceiling of the nest with caviar. Male Goby creates water movement in the nest and protects the eggs until the juveniles emerge. Fertility Bychkov up to 2.7 thousand eggs.

Features of behavior and nutrition:
stays settled. Usually he hides under a stone, hides in thickets of grass or buries himself in the sand. Does not make large migrations, moving away for the winter from the coast to more deep places. It feeds on fish, mollusks, crustaceans, worms, etc. Like many other fish, Gobies do not tolerate significant fluctuations in water temperature, sudden changes in weather. After such changes, the fish stops its activity for a while, practically does not eat.

Meaning:
Gobies is an object of trade.

Goby fish is a wonderful ray-finned perch fish that lives in the basins of the Azov, Caspian and Black Seas, belongs to the goby family. Delicious goby is very popular with anglers who consider it one of their favorite fish. southern seas and rivers of Russia.

Description of goby fish

The body of the goby is conical, completely covered with scales and narrowed towards the tail. The fish has a large head with an extensive frontal part and large and close-fitting eyes. The brutal appearance gave this predator its name, because the similarity with bulls is obvious here.

The anal and dorsal and fish, the latter having several very sharp rays. The fish has two fins on its back. The pectoral fins of the goby have a rounded shape. But his tail fin is very small. Gobies live an average of 5 years.

View features

The bull has an unusual feature. Its fused fins on its belly serve as an excellent sucker, which helps it to attach itself to bottom surfaces and camouflage itself among rocks and aquatic plants.

Stormy weather and strong waves do not frighten the goby, thanks to the suction cup, it tightly sticks to stones, even vertical ones, no element can move this dodger.

Color and size

There are so many varieties of this fish that it is rather difficult to indicate its true color and exact parameters. Usually the goby has a brownish or yellowish body color, on which dark, gray, reddish-brown, blue and the same stripes vary.

The fins of the fish are also painted in different colors, in some species they are gray, in others they are transparent, in others they are motley, with spots.

The length of the gobies is also varied. Miniature species gain no more than 7-12 cm, while larger ones grow up to half a meter in size. The mass of this peculiar fish, depending on the species, ranges from 30 g to 1.5 kg.

Known Species

This is one of the most numerous fish, more than 2 thousand species of gobies are known, some of them are relic. We have up to 20 species of them in Azov and in the Black Sea basin. On the Russian territory fishing enthusiasts are more likely to encounter some well-known varieties of gobies.

goby sandpiper lives in the Azov, Black Seas and rivers flowing into them, is considered a river species. It got its name for its addiction to reservoirs with a bottom coating of sand. Differs in a yellowish color and a faded shade of fins. It grows up to two tens of centimeters, usually its weight is up to 0.2 kg.

round goby, sometimes called a kutsak, inhabited the waters of the Caspian Sea, the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov and the Black Sea waters. Feels equally good in desalinated and salty areas. It is distinguished by a darker body color, up to brown and black, and larger sizes. This type of fish comes even to the Baltic, there were cases of its catch in the waters of the Moscow River.

goby goby has another funny name - grandmother. This type of fish has thickened lips and a somewhat flattened head shape. The goby-grandmother flaunts a brownish color of small scales with reddish and gray patches and dark markings. The fish has settled in the waters of Azov, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, it is often found in the Dnieper, Volga, Dniester and Bug.

goby martovik or a whip is a fairly large fish. Gaining weight up to 0.5 kg to 1.5 kg and length up to 50 cm. Differs big head with powerful gills and a huge mouth. He loves the rocky bottom of the Caspian Sea, the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov and the Black Sea area.

Gorlach goby, another name for shirman, is known for its gray color and blue spots on its sides. Its fins are also decorated with bluish stripes. He likes places with a silty bottom. He took a fancy to the lakes on Azov and in the Danube basin. It is found in estuaries on the Dnieper, Dniester, and Bug.

Goby tsutsyk it is small in size, the maximum length is up to 12 cm, and the weight is not more than 30 g. The brown body of the fish with black stripes is decorated with an unusual raised head with huge eyes and antennae hanging over the lips. This goby is an inhabitant of the lower reaches of the Volga and reservoirs, it comes across in the tributaries of the Don and in the Moscow River basin.

Where does the bull live

The habitat of the goby extends in the basin of warm seas - in the Azov, Caspian, Black Sea and in numerous estuaries. It is also found in the Mediterranean, Marmara and even the Baltic Seas. The largest southern rivers chosen and inhabited by different types of gobies. Volga, Dnieper, Danube, Bug, Dniester, as well as their tributaries, lakes, reservoirs - all these are the favorite habitats of this fish.

The goby is a bottom dweller, prone to settled life. Keeps at the very bottom in the coastal zone. By nature, he is inert and unhurried. He loves to hide and hide among stones or plants, burrow in the silt. Often equips itself with minks in the sandy bottom of the reservoir. Seasonal migrations are also not for the goby, only by winter it moves away from the coastal part and goes to the depths.

The fish has developed a particular dislike for sudden weather changes and temperature fluctuations. In these situations, the goby falls into a stupor and does not move, it stops eating and hunting for prey.

What does a bull eat

Quiet gobies most often eat bottom dwellers, usually they feast on:

• crustaceans;
• worms;
• fry;
• shrimp;
• larvae;
• shellfish.

Hiding in rocks and aquatic vegetation, sleepy and not in a hurry gobies, suddenly briskly attack prey and greedily swallow a shrimp or crustacean with their large mouth. A gluttonous predator goby hunts fish fry with the same enthusiasm. In bad weather, gobies stop looking for food and try to hide and wait out the bad weather.

How does a goby breed

Spawning in a goby is protracted, begins in early spring, in March, at a water temperature of 10-12 degrees, and continues until last days summer. Marriage games are very unusual. Males who have gone to the second year become sexually mature. During this period, they change their color to a darker one and choose spawning grounds among coastal stones.

If there are several applicants for this territory, fights arise between the bulls. The winner equips a nest in the middle of the stones and calls the females there. Moreover, male gobies are polygamous fish, they lure several brides at once.

Female gobies are quite prolific, each capable of spawning from 2500 to 7000 eggs, depending on the species. The eggs have sticky properties and adhere tightly to rocky surfaces. After that, the females immediately leave, but the males guard the eggs in the nests for another month, preventing underwater invertebrates from devouring them.

Moreover, gobies faithfully take care of their offspring and proper oxygen supply to the eggs, facilitating the flow of clean water with the flapping of their fins.

After four weeks, larvae form from the eggs, from which fry immediately appear. Babies begin to feed on benthic crustaceans on their own. By the end of summer, the juveniles of the goby grow up and switch to the usual diet for this fish.

Gobies completely refute the theory of the silence of underwater inhabitants. It's dumb like a fish - it's not about them. Spawning male gobies lure females for mating games, making loud growling and smacking sounds.

Dangerous Enemies

Gobies often become the prey of other predatory fish. They are willingly eaten by sturgeon, stellate sturgeon. The Caspian seal and the Azov dolphin regale themselves with goby with pleasure. Moreover, the goby goby, which spawns in more early dates, preys on fry of other types of gobies that were born a little later, for example, on juvenile round gobies.

Like many fish, the goby is often eaten by water birds, especially herons. Even snakes absorb gobies.

But most of all, people engaged in the fishing of this tasty fish and anglers are involved in the extermination of the livestock of gobies. More often gobies are caught on a regular fishing rod with a spinning reel or on a donk, sometimes fishing is practiced with light spinning. And both from the shore and from the boat. It is enough to find a "goby place", and the biting is provided almost uninterrupted.

As bait, anglers often use bloodworms, worms, pieces of fish meat, leeches, snails, insect larvae, pieces of beef giblets and even ordinary sausages. Main principle bull angling - the baited hook should be at the very bottom, it is constantly twitched, then the bite of the bull is very active.

Population and species status

The bull has a short life cycle. Therefore, its number changes all the time, sometimes increasing and decreasing hundreds of times. Since the fish has a commercial value, the state of its population is constantly monitored by specialists.

Business executives interested in the extraction of some types of gobies take care of its preservation. For example, in Azov, during the period of fish spawning, a ban is introduced for two months on industrial fishing for gobies, the movement of swimming facilities and drilling of the bottom.

Commercial value

The goby is an object of industrial fishing. For example, in the Black Sea, commercial fishing is carried out for such a type of goby as the goby. In Azov, the round goby is one of the important objects of industrial production. In the Black Sea basin, especially in estuaries and bays, there is also a massive catch of round goby.

Its production reaches several tens of thousands of centners; in the Sea of ​​Azov, the commercial catch is even more significant. They catch a bull with nets and lines, they also use grips and drags. Large gobies also go to fixed nets.

In Azov, goby fishing takes place in spring, in autumn it is caught at a depth of up to 8 m. In summer, there is a short-term July catch. Basically, the fish caught is used for the manufacture of canned food, drying and drying.

Taste qualities

Delicious bull meat is rich in vitamins PP, D, C, B and microelements such as fluorine, chlorine, iodine, sulfur, chromium, molybdenum, zinc, nickel. Fish is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Therefore, dishes from gobies will benefit from high cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis. Contribute good digestion, normalize metabolism, prevent the development of heart and vascular diseases, improve a person's vitality and rejuvenate the body.

Caution should be exercised when consuming gobies for people allergic to fish. You should not abuse dried gobies for those who suffer from salt deposition and hypertension, the salt concentration in them can be high. It is better to give up gobies for children and expectant mothers, because the fish is a bottom cleaner, so its meat may contain substances that are harmful to health.

The value of this fish for people turned out to be so high that love for it was embodied even in monuments. In Yeysk, Krasnodar Territory, a sculpture “Bull - the King of the Sea of ​​​​Azov” appeared on the city street, and in Berdyansk in Zaporizhzhia - the monument “Bull-breadwinner”, it was erected in gratitude to the Azov bull, who saved the population from starvation during the war years.

Dishes from goby fish

Beef dishes loved by all are fish soup and meatballs, fish can be fried, but taking into account that it is very bony. However, the most unsurpassed taste, of course, is in dried and dried gobies. And how many generations of people in Russia, and not only in our country, feast on canned gobies in tomato!

Here is one of the recipes. Immediately after catching the gobies, it is necessary to salt them in order to preserve their high taste qualities. They do it this way: right on the shore, the fish is laid out in a suitable dish upside down, there is no need to wash the gobies.

Coarse salt rub the fish well, it is important that the salt gets into the gills of the gobies. In this case, the ratio of salt and fish should be 100 g of salt per 1 kg of fish. Sometimes a spoonful of sugar is added to the salt for a pleasant taste.

Two days later, already at home, when the fish is completely covered with the brine that has appeared, it is soaked for two hours in cold water and hang up immediately. And not gutted gobies - upside down, so that the remnants of the brine flow from the inside.

Gobies are dried for 5-10 days in the shade. From the insects attracted by the smell, the fish is covered with a natural cloth or gauze. Dried gobies are well preserved away from the sun, in coolness. 0

goby - one of the few fish awarded its own monument.
He was erected a monument "Bull-Breadwinner" in Ukraine in the city of Berdyansk and a meter-long sculpture "Goby King of the Sea of ​​Azov" in the center of Yeysk.
love goby the inhabitants of the Azov coast, and how not to love it, if thanks to this little fish, they were saved from hunger during the difficult years of the Great Patriotic War.

Goby-coastal, bottom, fish of the goby family, perch-like order. Gobies, one of the largest families consisting of more than 200 genera and about 2000 species.

About 30 species are known in Russia and the CIS countries, most of them inhabit warm seas our country: Black, Caspian, Azov. Many belong to relic species that have been living since the time when the Black Sea was called the Pontic Sea and connected with the Caspian.

They easily tolerate changes in water salinity, and are able to live in fresh and salty environments. There are about 5 - 6 species of them, those that moved from the sea to the mouths and lower reaches of the rivers flowing into them. Some even climbed high upstream, through tributaries and a system of small rivers migrated to others waterways, settling at a great distance from their native shores .

Thus, some species of gobies migrated to the rivers of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other countries adjacent to these seas.

The smallest gobies are 2.5 cm long, the largest 40 cm. The life expectancy of most is 3-5 years, in some species up to 8 years. They spawn from the beginning of spring to the end of summer at T 10° - 18° C.
The female spawns from 700 to 2500 eggs into the nest, previously arranged by the male under one of the coastal cameos, if there is no nest, the mothers spawn on stones or plants. After spawning, males guard the masonry adhering to the substrate, protecting it from being eaten by other fish.

Gobies owe their special name big size head and sedentary, settled way life. The slowness of the fish is explained by its lazy disposition and the fact that it firmly sticks to the stones fused into a suction cup. pelvic fins and once again does not change its location, for fear of being thrown ashore by the surf.

Many people confuse the goby with the similar Amur predatory fish of the firebrand family - "Rotan", brought to St. Petersburg by aquarists at the beginning of the twentieth century. It is even called "goby rotan" or "Amur goby", although it has nothing to do with the goby family, but also belongs to the perch-like order.

Today Rotan lives in most of the territory of Russia and European countries. It quickly spread in different directions from St. Petersburg, thanks to its hardiness and excellent adaptive abilities, allowing it to survive in the most polluted water bodies, and even return to life after freezing.

Its high fecundity contributes to a sharp increase in numbers, and in small reservoirs it is able to completely destroy other fish species. Because of him and other fish, very similar to our hero, the impression was that the goby is a resident of the southern seas, found everywhere and even in northern latitudes.

Large Black Sea and Azov gobies are an object of fishing, and for many years they have accounted for the bulk of the total Russian fish catch in the Azov-Black Sea basin.

Types of gobies and their description.

River goby or goby - sandpiper - Ponto Caspian relict species, belongs to malacophages - animals that feed on mollusks, most often found in rivers. Size from 7 cm to 20 cm.

The coloration is yellowish brown, with a camouflage pattern in the form of darkened spots. During the mating season, males turn black. The body is densely and densely covered with small scales, visible both on the occipital region of the head and on separate parts gill covers. The mouth is upper, the lower jaw predominates protruding slightly forward, the snout is pointed. The mouth has conical teeth.

The natural habitat is the Marmara, Black, Caspian and Azov Seas, found in the rivers flowing into them. Lives on the sandy bottom of the coastal zone, in minks or shelters from sunken objects (boxes, tires, boots, etc.). The diet includes: molluscs, crustaceans, marine and earthworms, amphipods, juveniles and small specimens of their own species.

Goby - March , he is or toad. Lives everywhere in the Black and Azov Seas and in the mouths of the rivers flowing into them. The largest species, its maximum size reaches 40 cm and weighs 600 g. In fishermen's catches, it is more often caught up to 25 cm - 30 cm in size, with a weight of up to 350 - 400 g. The color is yellowish brown, similar to a sandpiper goby.

is predatory, commercial fish. It guards prey in ambush, while it can slightly change skin color, disguising itself as the environment. It feeds on juvenile fish, small fish, fish caviar and its relatives, suitable in size. Lives up to 7 years.

A more cold-loving species, it spawns in March at T 10 ° C, which is why it received the name “martovik”. In the catches of amateur fishermen, of all gobies, whip is considered the most coveted trophy, as it has a very delicious meat and large sizes.

Caught on the coast different ways while using all sorts of tools and gear. He takes well the worm, pieces of mussels, meat of relatives and other fish, shrimps and other bait. Sometimes it comes across on the silicone baits of spinners, and very large specimens become the target of spearfishing.

Goby - messenger or gray grandmother . Refers to small species genus Babka living in fresh and brackish waters lower reaches and mouths of the Black Sea and Azov basins.

It has, like all gobies, two dorsal fins, in which there are, in total number 8 spiny rays and 14 soft, oblong, round body tapering towards the tail. The coloration is gray with a greenish tint, camouflaged with darkened transverse stripes and spots. The mouth is terminal with tiny teeth, the jaws are the same, the snout is rounded.
The eyes are large, close to each other in the upper part of the head. The length of the body can reach 26 cm, on average in the catches of anglers -15-18 cm. It spawns in shallow water at a temperature of 12 ° -14 ° C. Experts believe that the messenger goby is expanding its habitat very quickly.

It was first discovered at a great distance from the sea in 1997 in the Pripyat River, and by now it has reached Austria along the Danube, and even managed to penetrate through the system of rivers and canals from the Dnieper to the river. Vistula. At the beginning of 2010 was seen in the Rhine River and in some rivers of the basin Baltic Sea. Messenger is found in some river arteries of Georgia and Bulgaria.
He is a longtime resident of the Taganrog Bay of the Sea of ​​Azov, and also lives in the Don, Northern Donets, Aksai. It feeds on small fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and worms.

Goby - tsutsik or marble blunt - small fish does not exceed 7 cm -12 cm and weighs 30 g. In Russia, it inhabits the waters of the Caspian and Azov basins. Numerous in the lower reaches of the Volga, occurs as a migrant in its upper and central reaches, as well as in reservoirs. In the same capacity, it was seen in the Moscow River, in the middle of the Don and in many of its tributaries.

A distinctive feature of this species are nasal openings rolled up into small tubes and hanging over upper lip in the form of a mustache. The head is high, the forehead is narrow, the diameter of one eye is greater than the width of the forehead.

The mouth is semi-lower, the jaws are almost identical, the snout is blunt with dark spots on the sides. The scales on the body have a brown color with a gray tint, across the body there are fuzzy, in some places steep dark stripes - 5-6 pcs. During spawning, the coloring of males becomes darker, and orange edging appears on the edges of the pectoral and dorsal fins.

Leads a bottom way of life, prefers coastal areas with thickets. It feeds on benthos - small organisms living at the bottom. In addition, in the stomach, among undigested food, there are remains of small fish, aquatic plants and detritus.

round goby - body length from 15 cm to 27 cm, weighs up to 270 g. Has resemblance with previous views. Differs in the small size of the mouth of the final form and a clear dark spot on the edge of the dorsal fin. Coloring from grayish-beige to dark brown and even black.

The habitat is considered to be the Black Sea - Azov and Caspian basins. It can live in non-salty water and enter the upper reaches of rivers. Even managed to get to the Moscow River and the Baltic. Together with water used as ballast, was accidentally relocated from Eurasia to North America, becoming an inhabitant of the Great Lakes.

The remaining species of gobies either do not enter fresh water at all: goby, herbalist, Surman, lynx, etc., or are rare - endangered species listed in the Red Book: Paganel goby, Bukchich goby, etc.

Catching gobies is a very exciting activity.

Catching gobies as simple as angling perches and ruffs, many anglers do not consider it serious, but despite this it is a great pleasure for everyone, especially after a long peck big fish. So - as gobies live in the coastal zone, they are searched for and caught not far from the coast, on a rocky bottom or on the ground covered with shell rock.

Although the goby is a small fish, it bites quite strongly and confidently, which makes anglers very happy. In addition, the meat of this big-headed fish is exceptionally tasty in any form. Her ear and her dried carcasses are especially good.

They catch a goby from the shore and from the water with the help of boats, both with a float and a bottom fishing rod. There are no special requirements for equipment. As bait, worms, leeches, bloodworms, small pieces are used: bull's heart, mussel meat, snails, frozen or caught fish; insects and their larvae. The bait is lowered to the very bottom and periodically the tackle is pulled or pulled up so that the bait does not lie in one place and looks mobile.

To catch a goby with a bottom rod, you can use almost any rod with rings and a reel holder. It is better to take the coil without inertia, the simplest, with any gear ratio.

tackle regular - bottom: fixed 15-20 g load (in sea conditions it can be weighted up to -30-40 g) at the end of the main fishing line, slightly higher from it - at a distance of 40-50 cm, a 18-20 cm long leash with hook No. 6 PH with a long forearm, followed by the next one at a distance of 30 cm, or you can leave one hook, it’s more interesting. You should not put more than two hooks, this is no longer fishing, but fishing. Leads can be knitted directly to the line using or through triple swivels.

To signal a bite, you can use a bell or an electronic signaling device or any other devices, in any case, if the relic horror story bites, then there is nowhere to go from the hook. The big-headed hermit's mouth is large and he pecks very greedily, for fear of missing the bait, he does not stand on ceremony with it for a long time, so there are almost no descents from the hook, and this "beast" swallows a small hook so that it is impossible to remove it without surgical intervention.

Very interesting and exciting catch a goby on a micro jig with an ultra-light spinning rod with appropriate equipment: 0.12 mm braid or 0.18 mm monofilament, miniature silicone lures - 2.5 cm -3 cm and light small ones - 2 g - 6 g jig heads.

Have questions? Feel free to ask in the comments, the form of which is located under the article. All the best, good luck fishing.

Gobies are a fish that belongs to perciformes. There are about two thousand species of goby fish in the world, which are called coastal bottom fish. They live in all warm waters of the seas. They can be found not only on the coastal seabed, but also in rivers.

Goby fish. Description

The fish got its name because of the large head, disproportionate to the body. What a goby fish looks like can be seen in the above photo. The eyes are located on the top of the head close to each other. The body is oblong in shape and reaches a length of forty centimeters. Along the back are two spiny fins. On the belly, the fused fins were reborn into a sucker that allows them to attach themselves to stones. Thanks to the suction cup, even strong waves are not dangerous for gobies.

Lifestyle

Most species of gobies live in the coastal zone, hiding among stones and thickets, some burrow into the bottom soil. For food, they look for worms, mollusks in the ground, do not disdain small fish and crustaceans. In the cold season, gobies make small migrations away from the coast, descending into more warm waters. With unfavorable weather conditions freeze, stop eating.

reproduction

When the water warms up to ten or twelve degrees in spring, the spawning period begins for the gobies, which lasts all summer. The male takes care of the eggs in the gobies. First, he prepares a hole under the stone. Then it “invites” females to its dwelling, which lay eggs, attaching it to a stone inside the mink. The number of eggs in one female ranges from two to three thousand. The more females visit the groom, the more eggs will be under his care. The male clings to a stone with his sucker and begins to create a stream of water in the hole with his fins so that the eggs are washed by running water and do not die. So he protects his offspring until the fry hatch from the eggs.

living conditions

We are talking about one of numerous kinds fish inhabiting the waters of the Black and Azov seas. These are gobies - a fish that has lived in these seas since time immemorial, when the Black and Caspian Sea were one whole. Note that there are about ten species in the Black Sea, and about twenty in the Sea of ​​Azov.

Gobies are divided into two main groups:

• brackish water;
• marine.

Brackish-water gobies include species that have lived in the Black Sea since time immemorial. They have perfectly adapted to life in the salty waters of estuaries with varying salinity. sea ​​views originally lived in the Mediterranean. Fish goby sea greenfinch moved from the Mediterranean waters to the Black Sea. It gradually adapted to the salinity of the water, and its number reached commercial sizes.

The division into marine and river species of gobies is also conditional. For example, round gobies and sandpipers spread along the Dnieper, although previously they lived only in the Black Sea. Fish goby river tsutsik, whose habitat is the Don, was found in small quantities in the Sea of ​​Marmara. And it should be noted that the salinity of the water in it is twice as high as in the Black Sea. This species did not like it, and it began to inhabit the rivers flowing into the Sea of ​​​​Marmara.

Types of gobies

Let's tell you what gobies look like (the most common types of fish).

• The sandpiper got its name because of its habitats. He prefers the bottom with sand and shell rock and has a body color to match the sandy bottom - yellowish tones in combination with gray. The goby grows up to a maximum of twenty centimeters. In addition to the Black and Azov Seas, where it occurs in in large numbers, lives in estuaries and rivers flowing into the sea.

• Kruglyak (kutsak) settles among rocks and stones. It reaches a length of twenty-five centimeters, has a stocky body and a flattened tail. The color can range from light gray to brown with darker spots. characteristic feature this type - black spot in the region of the first fin on the back. The round timber is able to adapt to varying degrees of salinity, therefore it lives both in sea water and in river water. Among the caught gobies, this species is the main number.

• Knut (martovik) also lives on a rocky bottom. Compared to round timber, it has more large sizes: up to thirty-five centimeters in length and weight up to half a kilogram. The large head is distinguished by a large mouth. Body color brownish with black spots. Differs from other species in wide gills, splayed in different directions. The martovik feeds on small fish, including smaller relatives. The habitat is the Black Sea, Azov and Caspian waters.

• Zelenchak, who came from mediterranean sea, chose the estuaries of the Black Sea for habitation. Also found in the western part of the sea area, the Dnieper reservoirs, chooses the bottom, overgrown with grass. The goby grows to a small size - no more than ten centimeters.
• The tsutsik goby prefers to settle in thickets of sea grass, populating places with less salty water. Having the smallest size among the gobies of the Black Sea-Azov range (5-7 cm), it feeds on invertebrate inhabitants. A feature of this species are two processes on the front of the head, resembling a mustache. The body is sand-colored with a marbled pattern, differs little from the colors of other gobies.

Gobies and ecology

Despite the remarkable ability to adapt to change environment, the number of gobies in Cherny and Seas of Azov has declined sharply in recent years. The deteriorating ecology and overfishing are to blame for this. Gobies are unpretentious fish, so we can only hope that they will not disappear from our seas and rivers.

Gobies - well known small fish from the order Perciformes. As a rule, this name means representatives of the goby family, as well as the families of microdesma, tape-goby, sculpin and firebrand families close to it. The diversity of these fish is very wide, there are about 2,000 species of them in the world. The closest relatives of gobies are mudskippers and tangerines.

Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is one of the most widespread species of these fish.

Gobies got their name for their characteristic appearance: the head of these fish is very large, lobed (like a bull) and is actually the widest part of the body. The body tapers evenly from head to tail. The tail itself is relatively small, in contrast to it, the dorsal and anal fins are long and clearly visible, and the dorsal fin is often divided into two. Pectoral fins most often rounded, and the abdominal ones grow together into a kind of funnel, with the help of which the fish stick to the stones. Such an adaptation is extremely important for gobies, since they live in shallow water, which is why they are constantly in danger of being washed ashore by the surf.

In general, the coloration of these fish is protective, but its type varies greatly depending on the living conditions of each species. Yes, bulls temperate zone painted modestly, their body is dotted with specks of black, gray, sandy, greenish. This camouflage allows them to remain invisible against the background of stones, sand and algae.

Grass goby (Zosterisessor ophiocephalus).

Tropical gobies, on the contrary, are colored in all colors of the rainbow, and they are more typical of a monophonic or large geometric pattern. At the same time, they also remain invisible against the background of bright corals.

California blue-banded goby (Lythrypnus dalli).

Finally, bottom species are uniformly gray, because in the thickness of the soil their color is not important at all, and pelagic species (living in the water column) are transparent.

Gobies have pronounced sexual dimorphism: the females of these fish are noticeably larger than their chosen ones (about 1.3-1.5 times), although the differences in color are most often insignificant. Despite the small size, the spread in body length among gobies is large. If most species fit into 10-20 cm, then pandak gobies proudly bear the title of the tiniest vertebrates on Earth. The body length of adult females of this species is only 11-14 mm, while males do not exceed 7.5-10 mm in length! But the length of the largest mart gobies does not exceed a modest 40-50 cm with a weight of 1-1.5 kg.

Pandaka goby (Pandaka pygmea; magnified approximately 10 times).

The variety of gobies determines their wide distribution. These fish can be found in all the warm salty waters of our planet. In addition, they are mass species in some areas of the temperate zone. For example, the rotan goby that lives on Far East, is so cold-resistant that it painlessly endures even freezing into ice. The Azov, Black and Caspian Seas are especially rich in gobies (including endemic ones). But there are relatively few freshwater representatives of this family, and river gobies still try to stay in the lower reaches of the rivers, and go to the sea or delta to spawn. Interestingly, freshwater gobies tolerate large fluctuations in water salinity well. On the one hand, this is an adaptation to life in estuaries, where the wind often draws water from the sea; on the other hand, this quality allows fish to migrate from the bed of one river to another, crossing along the way sections of the sea with high salinity. But typically sea ​​gobies, on the contrary, cannot stand desalination and experience severe stress when the salinity of the water decreases.

A tiny Yong goby (Bryaninops yongei) hides on a coral branch.

These fish live alone, trying to stick to a certain area, seasonal migrations do not commit. Most often, gobies like to swim near the bottom, since this is where the sources of their food are located, a rare exception are pelagic gobies blankets. But among them there are originals that never leave the ground at all. For example, species from the family of ribbon gobies dig burrows in soft silt, in which they live and feed, filtering small living creatures.

The worm-like body of a toothed goby, or odontamblyopus (Odontamblyopus lacepedii) is an adaptation to living in deep burrows. The depth of shelters in these fish can reach 90 cm.

By the nature of their nutrition, most gobies are carnivores, the basis of their diet is mollusks, worms, crustaceans, in particular small shrimps and gammarus crustaceans. Large individuals often encroach on the life of other fish, including their own relatives. A gluttonous predator is considered a firebrand, capable of hunting even fish larger than itself, which is why it is classified as a pest of fisheries. In this galaxy of eating everyone and everything, the Stephodon gobies are a rare exception: they feed on microscopic algae, which are surrounded by underwater snags.

The eyes on the fins of the two-spotted goby (Signigobius biocellatus) are designed to deceive the predator: if the enemy rushes towards the false head, the vital organs will not be damaged.

Spawning in gobies of the temperate zone begins in April at a water temperature of 10-15°C. The male attracts the female, equipping the "maternity hospital". He finds a snag or stone and carefully collects small debris with his mouth, taking it away, thus forming a small hole or hole under the shelter. Then the applicant begins to ... sing. Gobies are one of the most "talkative" fish on the planet, they are able to make a variety of sounds by vibrating their gill covers and head. For example, the Azov goby growls, the black-mouthed goby croaks, creaks and squeaks, and the goby sounds like a drum roll. The sounds of the mating serenade are recognized by females even outside mating season, but the males do not react to them in any way. The chosen one needs 12-24 hours to get comfortable in the home. At this time, she periodically swims into the hole, then swims out of there. Then the female attaches the eggs in neat rows to the walls of the hole or cave.

Red-spotted gobies (Trimma rubromaculatus) lay their eggs on the surface of the sea squirt.

At different types clutch may include from 200 to 3900 eggs. The caviar of gobies is also quite unusual - not round, like most fish, but oval. One end of the egg necessarily has a bunch of tiny sticky threads with which it is attached to the wall of the hole. After spawning, the female leaves the "maternity hospital", leaving the offspring in the care of the father. About a week until is developing eggs, the male protects the dwelling from enemies and ventilates it. Males reach puberty at the 1-3rd year of life, females usually mature by 3 years. A significant part of the individuals die after the first spawning (usually this occurs in July-August), and the survivors spawn again after wintering. The maximum lifespan noted in these fish is 5-7 years. In nature, their enemies are large predatory fish, water snakes, gulls and terns.

Caviar of a round goby.

Gobies are a popular object of recreational fishing, and in the Azov-Black Sea basin they are also commercially caught. Although they are not highly rated among culinary specialists, the abundance of these fish in the seas and rivers will not leave even a novice fisherman without a catch. The meat of gobies is slightly sweet in taste, a few bones are well boiled, so this kind of fish is especially good for cooking second courses and canned food. AT recent times Environmental degradation and poaching have significantly depleted stocks of gobies and, although they are not yet in need of protection, some endemic species require close monitoring.

Not everyone knows that gobies are classified as aquarium fish. Even modest European species (for example, the zutsik goby) can attract observers with interesting habits, and representatives tropical fauna will become a real decoration of the water kingdom. Some of the most popular aquarium inhabitants are described below.

Brachygobius, or gobies-bees

They got their nickname for their characteristic black and yellow striped coloration; during spawning, the stripes in males turn orange or red. In length, these fish do not exceed 4-4.5 cm. vivo bee gobies inhabit the rivers and mangrove swamps of South and Southeast Asia. They keep near the bottom, so it is important that the aquarium is wide enough for them. These fish need crystal clean water temperature 25-30°С, pH 6.8-8, hardness 5-20°. AT fresh water bee gobies get sick more often, so it is preferable to add salt (3-5 g of salt per 1 liter). Fish are slow, peaceful, but protect the territory, therefore, in order to prevent aggression on their part, it is important to provide bee gobies with a sufficient number of shelters and aquatic vegetation. Another feature is pronounced flocking. It is optimal to settle in one aquarium for 6-10 individuals. The incentive for spawning is a change in the conditions of detention: fluctuations in salinity, an increase in water temperature by a couple of degrees. After hatching, the fry of adult fish are removed so that they do not eat the offspring. Juveniles are fed for the first 1-2 weeks with ciliates, later - with brine shrimp, chopped tubule. Adults also eat coretra, daphnia, and small bloodworms; dry and frozen food is taken poorly. They get along well with calm fish, but in the species aquarium they are more active.

Brachygobius faded, or dwarf goby (Brachygobius doriae) is a typical representative of bee gobies. Other species of the genus are outwardly little distinguishable from this.

green-striped goby

It lives in the waters of Puerto Rico. The color of the fish is dark green with transverse white lines and a wide black stripe running through the eye. The length does not exceed 5 cm. These are peaceful and unpretentious gobies that can be kept in a reef or fish aquarium with a volume of more than 40 liters. The water temperature must be maintained at 22-25°C, pH 8.1-8.4. They are fed frozen carnivorous fish mixes, shrimp mixes, live or frozen brine shrimp. The fish breed easily, laying their eggs in the cracks between the stones and shells.

Green-striped goby (Elacatinus multifasciatum).

Filamentous red-striped goby, or striped shrimp goby

Lives among the reefs of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It reaches a length of 4-5 cm, is attractive for its bright striped color and unusual behavior. This fish lives literally side by side with the click shrimp (Alpheus randalli). The shrimp provides the goby with housing, pulling out a cozy mink in the sandy soil, which both of them occupy. The fish, on the other hand, thanks the neighbor, warning her of the danger. When the enemy approaches, the goby pushes the short-sighted shrimp with its tail and encourages it to hide in the hole.

Filamentous red-striped goby, or striped shrimp goby (Stonogobiops nematodes).

The flag goby red dragon also lives in symbiosis with the click shrimp.

These gobies are quite voracious, they need to be fed 2 times a day with shrimp mixtures, shrimp tablets, fortified artemia, chopped octopus, mussels, squid. The orange-striped shrimp goby (Amblyeleotris randalli), the striped flag goby (Stonogobiops xanthorhinica) and the red dragon flag goby (Stonogobiops yasha) are close to this species in terms of behavior and conditions of keeping.