Brachygobius | |
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Bumblebee Fish (B. xanthozonus) | |
Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Gobiiformes |
Family: | Oxudercidae |
Subfamily: | Gobionellinae |
Genus: |
Brachygobius Bleeker, 1874 |
Type species | |
Gobius doriae Günther, 1868
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Synonyms | |
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Brachygobius is a small genus of gobies. They are popular aquarium fish where a number of species are sold as bumblebee gobies because their colours are similar to those of bumblebees. [1]
Bumblebee gobies range in size from 1.5 cm to 4 cm. [2] They are generally coloured black with pale yellow to orange bands. [3] Males are generally slimmer than females and often have more vivid colours, typically orange rather than yellow. [3] Females may also have smaller and rounder heads. [2] When spawning, the colours of the males become deeper, the orange bands becoming red in the case of Brachygobius doriae. [2]
This genus is informally divided by taxonomists into the dwarf Brachygobius nunus- species group (e.g., B. nunus, B. aggregatus, and B. mekongensis) and the bigger Brachygobius doriae-species group (e.g., B. doriae, B. sabanus, and B. xanthomelas). [2]
There are currently nine recognized species in this genus: [4]
Bumblebee gobies are found across Southern and Southeast Asia primarily in freshwater habitats but also in slightly brackish waters. [2] [3]
These gobies are oviparous. Eggs are deposited in a cave where they are guarded by the male. [3] Clutch size is around 150-200 eggs. [5] The eggs hatch after around seven days and the fry become free swimming another five to seven days later. [3]
Bumblebee gobies are popular aquarium fish. [5] A tank around 40 liters in size will house a dozen specimens comfortably. Under good conditions they can live in an aquarium for around 5 years. [3] The most commonly traded species in the hobby belong to the Brachygobius doriae-species group but the smaller Brachygobius nunus is also traded occasionally. [2] [3] Although many aquarium books use the name Brachygobius xanthozona, this species is very rare in the wild and is not commercially traded. [3]