Goby Behavior

This isn't really a request for an ID as much as it is a query as to whether anyone else has seen a goby lie flat on the sand to hide itself?

I wrote a short description and put up photos here: http://www.tonywublog.com/20080204/goby-giggles.html of this interesting behavior, exhibited by what I believe was a Tomiyamichthys oni goby, at eight metres on a sandy bottom at Lion Island near Loloata Island Resort.

Cheers,

Tony

I have seen gobies that will use camouflage instead of going for a bolt hole. I find fascinating gobies that make a swish as if darting away, kicking up a swirl of sand. When the sand settles the goby is hunkered down, right where you last saw it, pretending its not there B)

Gorgeous photos capturing that behaviour though

Leander

Hi Leander,

The odd thing about this time was that there was no kicking up of the sand, etc. It just looked at me, then ducked down to lie flat on the sand. I couldn't help but laugh, though clearly the goby was taking things quite seriously

Cheers,

Tony

Great pics. and story.

Some common types of Goby around the UK and N. Europe live out in the open all the time and only very occasionally hide in a hole or discarded shell. Typical are the painted goby (Pomatoschistus pictus) and the sand goby (P. minutus). They are very approachable and if you flick a bit of sand up, they will come to explore and get too close to photograph.

Hi Tony,

Yeah their behaviour is quite fascinating. Makes you wonder what they are thinking

similar to Jims experience I think a lot of our species here are not big burrowers.

I once worked with a schooling pelagic goby, Gobiopterus semivestitus, which just isn't being a goby!

cheers

Leander