Fire Goby

Species Details

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Fire Goby

Common Name: Fire Goby, Fire Dartfish, Fire Fish, Red Fire-goby
Scientific Name: Nemateleotris magnifica
Local Name: Dhidha'funna
Dhivehi Name: ދިދަ ފުންނަ

Animalia (Kingdom)

Chordata (Plylum)

Actinopterygii (Class)

Perciformes (Order)

Microdesmidae (Family)

Nemateleotris (Genus)

Fire Goby's description

The Fire Dartfish Nemateleotris magnifica also known as the Fire Goby or Red Fire Dartfish is an unusually shaped and colorful fish.

Fire Goby's facts

Do you know?

The Fire goby is a popular aquarium fish.

Fire Goby's Behavior & Ecology

Inhabits upper portions of outer reef slopes and can be seen feeding near the bottom as well as in midwaters or near the surface. Hovers above the bottom, facing the current to feed on zooplankton, copepods, and crustacean larvae. Several individuals may share the same hole (especially juveniles). Has a habit of flicking its pennant-like first dorsal fin back and forth

Fire Goby's Feeding

Feed on zooplankton.

Fire Goby's Reproduction

During breeding pairs are formed but very little seems known of their breeding habits other than they seem to form monogamous pairs. Some accounts have them keeping the eggs in the burrow tended by the males and others have them close to the burrow tended by both male and female.

Fire Goby's Relationship with Humans

The Fire goby is a popular aquarium fish. This species is undergoing localised declines in abundance due to harvesting for the aquarium trade and habitat degradation, however these threats are not known across its entire distribution.

Fire Goby habitat

Nemateleotris magnifica inhabits burrows on the upper portion of outer reef slopes at a depth range of 6–61 m. This species hovers above the bottom, facing the current to feed on zooplankton: primarily copepods and crustacean larvae. This species does not stray far from its burrow, and occurs individually or in pairs. This species displays monogamy.

Fire Goby threats

Nemateleotris magnifica is a popular aquarium fish and is harvested from the wild for the aquarium trade.

This species is associated with coral reef habitats. The coral reefs in some areas of this species' distribution (e.g., East Africa and Indonesia) have experienced localised degradation due to bleaching, industrialisation, destructive fishing practices, Crown of Thorns starfish invasions, water pollution, and other population pressures. In other areas of N. magnifica's distribution, the reefs are in good condition, and therefore the regional degradation of the reefs is not considered a major threat to this species at present.