Nemateleotris magnifica
| Nemateleotris magnifica | |
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| Species: | N. magnifica
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| Binomial name | |
| Nemateleotris magnifica Fowler, 1938
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Nemateleotris magnifica, the Fire Goby, Fire Fish, Fire Dartfish, or Red Fire Goby is a species of dartfish native to the Indian and Pacific oceans from the eastern coast of Africa to the Hawaiian Islands and from the Austral Islands north to the Ryukyu Islands. It is an inhabitant of reefs where it can be found at depths of from 6 to 70 metres (20 to 230 ft). It is usually found just above the bottom, facing into the current, where it awaits its prey of small invertebrates.[2]
They usually have a bright yellow head, merging into a white body, gradually shading into a red-orange tail. Their dorsal fins are very long, and the fish flicks it back and forth.[2] This is used as a signal to conspecifics.[3][4] As a full grown adult, it reaches a maximum length of 9 centimeters (3 in).[2] Adults occupy sandy burrows alone or in pairs, while the juveniles live in small groups. These fish are monogamous.[2] They will retreat to burrows if threatened.[3]
In the aquarium
These fish are often kept in the aquarium.
References
- ^ Larson, H.K. 2010. Nemateleotris magnifica. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 February 2014.
- ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2013). "Nemateleotris magnifica" in FishBase. December 2013 version.
- ^ a b Sanford, Gina (1999). Aquarium Owner's Guide. New York: DK Publishing. p. 141. ISBN 0-7894-4614-6.
- ^ Dakin, Nick (1992). The Macmillan book of the Marine Aquarium. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 0-02-897108-6.
