The Breeder’s Registry© Information contained in this report is taken from submitted observations from aquarist unless noted otherwise (see comments). Information may be reproduced providing the Breeder’s Registry is cited.

Breeder ID: GOBOCE-022895-SCHTOD-003

Date received: 2/28/95

Identification: Gobiosoma oceanops (Jordan, 1904)  

Geographic origin: West Atlantic

Taxonomy: (after I.C.Z.N.)

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata Subphylum Vertebrata

Class Osteichthyes Superorder Teleostei

Order Perciformes

Family Gobiidae

Genus Gobiosoma Subgenus Elacatinus

Species Oceanops (Jordan, 1904)

Duration male(yr): 2.0

Size male (mm): 45

Duration female (yr): 2.0

Size female (mm): 65

Broodstock notes: One specimen personally collected off Islamorada, Florida Keys at 2 – 3 meters. Other is tank raised (sex not indicated)

Physical differences: Very little difference

Adult diet: Flake food, Formula 1®. Fed daily

Pre-spawning activity: Female becomes “larger”

Time spawning began: unknowwn

Area spawning occurred: Small hole in rock

Frequency of spawning: 14- 28 days

Egg description: Clear to silvery in color

Approximate quantity: not indicated

Size: not indicated

Egg changes / development: Eggs were on “ceiling” of a very small hole ina large piece of live rock. Difficult to see.

Incubation period: not indicated

Time hatching occurred:not indicated

Transfer / removal method: none, no attempt was made to rear larvae. Spawning information only

Spawning tank size (liter): 75

Sides covered? No

Lighting & photo period: 40 watt fluorescent, 10 hours

Filtration: Wet / dry, skimmer, undergravel filter

Additives and dosages: none

Water temperature (F): 78 F

Specific gravity: 1.022

pH: 8.3

Nitrate: unknown

Comments: Have also spawned on glass or rock. Tank was not covered post-metamorphosis. New water used with each spawn. First described by David Starr Jordan in 1904 as Elacatinus oceanops. Bohlke and Robins (1968) divided the genus Gobiosoma into 5 subgenera (Gobiosoma, Austrogobius, Garmannia, Tigrigobius and Elacatinus). G. oceanops is commonly called the “neon goby” and is often confused with G. evelynae (Sharknose goby).

Word origin: Gobiosoma comes from the Latin root gobi, =us meaning a kind of fish and the Greek root =soma meaning a body. The genus oceanops comes from the Greek word ocean, -omeaning the ocean and the Greek root op, =s meaning appearance. Thus Gobiosoma oceanopsis a fish body with the appearance of the ocean (the latter possibly refers to the blue coloration).

An excellent reference on this genus is:

Colin, Patrick, The Neon Gobies: The comparative biology of the Gobies of the genus
Gobiosoma, Subgenus Elacatinus, (Pisces: Gobiidae) in the tropical western North Atlantic
Ocean., 1975, T. F. H. Publications. ISBN 0-87666-450-8, hardbound 304 pages.

About this report: Information contained in this report is taken from submitted observations. Taxonomy, Synonomy, Original description , Word origin and Suggested reading are provided by member(s) of The Breeder’s Registry staff. Information is presented under the belief that it is accurate. If you have information in addition to, or contrary to that presented you are encouraged to contact the Breeder’s Registry. Permission is granted for “one-time” personal use. Reproduction as distributed or accessible media is prohibited without prior written permission. All rights reserved. 1995