spotfin goby
Oxyurichthys stigmalophius
A small goby of sand and mud bottoms near reefs, living from southern Florida to Suriname. It is of no importance for sport fishing.
Also called: gobião-de-nadadeira-manchada, gobio manchado, spotfin goby
- maximum
- 16 cm
- depth
- 2–60 m
who is the spotfin goby
A fish of the family Gobiidae, the gobies. It reaches 16.5 cm and lives on sand and mud bottoms near reefs, from 2 to 60 m. It occurs from Florida and the Bahamas to the southern Gulf of Mexico, in the Caribbean, down to Suriname. It is caught commercially and sold for aquariums. It shares its burrow with alpheid shrimp, and since it lives hidden on the bottom it is of no importance for sport fishing.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the spotfin goby; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It shares its burrow with alpheid shrimp.
identification
A small goby, with pelvic fins joined in a suction disc, a general trait of the family. The mark that gives it its name is a spotted fin, as the popular names say. It looks like the light-backed goby (Gobulus myersi), which lives in the same region and has similar habits; the spotted fin is what separates the two.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it occurs in Mexico, Belize, Cuba, Guyana, Suriname and Puerto Rico.
Habitat: Sand and mud bottoms near reefs, 2 to 60 m.
rules for the spotfin goby
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It poses no danger to people. Handle it with wet hands and return it to the water quickly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00708, b = 3.07; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Oxyurichthys stigmalophius (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Oxyurichthys stigmalophiusNames by country and language.
