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Darters and blennies

Started by Guest_Pactolus_* , Jun 21 2012 08:57 AM

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10 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_Pactolus_*

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Posted 21 June 2012 - 08:57 AM

Am I the only one who has noticed strong similiarities between darters and saltwater blennies? They have smiliar body shapes, they both dart around, and they both "perch" on objects underwater. Is this an example of convergent evolution?

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#2 Guest_decal_*

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Posted 21 June 2012 - 10:23 AM

You most definitely are not the only one. Gobies and loaches also share similar behaviors and habitats, both freshwater and saltwater. I've always been surprised there's not more interest in gobies and blennies on here... guess it's because most of NANFA is landlocked. I'll leave the evolution stuff to our more learned members.

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#3 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 21 June 2012 - 10:59 AM

And dont forget Characidium from S.Amer, Nannocharax from W. Africa, various darter/goby-like cichlids from S.Amer, Congo, and Tanganyika, and probably lots of other darter-like fish in other families too. It's an effective shape & behavior strategy to exploit benthic bugs in flowing or wave-prone habitats.

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#4 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 21 June 2012 - 11:00 AM

I often find swamp darters in LFS, and I once confused a goby for a darter for a minute...until I got a good look at it.

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#5 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 21 June 2012 - 05:40 PM

I've always been surprised there's not more interest in gobies and blennies on here... guess it's because most of NANFA is landlocked.

The round gobies of Ohio where I'm from are all that you can find in some rivers because they have extirpated the native darters. So I don't like them because it's their fault there aren't darters there. I was told that there is actually a law in Ohio that says if you catch a round goby you have to step on it instead of returning it to the water.

I do like the saltwater gobies and dragonettes. I'm in the process of setting up two 75 gallon tanks to breed mandarin dragonettes right now

Mudskippers are also pretty adorable XD

The key is to look for that suction cup pelvic fin. That's a great way to tell if it's a goby or a darter.

Edited by EricaWieser, 21 June 2012 - 05:41 PM.

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#6 Guest_notropis_*

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Posted 16 January 2013 - 11:45 AM

Hi,
My Salaria fluviatilis (Gardasee)
http://www.facebook....&type=1

my Etheostoma caeruleum / spectabile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fa-Z6zYzSE

Edited by notropis, 16 January 2013 - 12:05 PM.

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#7 Guest_exasperatus2002_*

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Posted 17 January 2013 - 08:49 AM

I liken darters to the goby cichlids of lake tanganyika except our darters dont feed on the aufwuch growing on the rocks.

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#8 Guest_NVCichlids_*

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Posted 17 January 2013 - 09:24 AM

I love gobies.. and I have always wanted to do a tank with round gobies to see how well they can defend against cichlids brood care. But the WI DNR doesn't care about this so I have been unable to get permits to keep them. I do keep african algae eating gobies, bumblbee gobies, skunk gobies, candy cane gobies and a couple tanganyikan cichlid gobies. I have been dying to try the west african goby cichlid, but they are extremely aggressive.

The first darter I ever saw I thought it was a goby, then my dad taught me that gobies aren't found in WI (well not as far inland as we were.) Happy to see others are as interested in this as I am

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#9 Guest_Usil_*

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Posted 17 January 2013 - 05:58 PM

Do you think the open mouth yawn was a display of some kind?

Usil

Edited by Usil, 17 January 2013 - 06:00 PM.

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#10 Guest_Doug_Dame_*

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Posted 17 January 2013 - 09:40 PM

my Etheostoma caeruleum / spectabile

That's a nice looking herd of youngsters. Thanks for sharing.

d.d.

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#11 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 18 January 2013 - 01:29 PM

Wow I had no idea there was a freshwater blenny. Did you breed those in an aquarium too, notropis? Do the babies need brackish-water or do they complete their whole life cycle in fresh water?