gulf killifish
Fundulus grandis
Small fish from seagrass bays, canals and freshwater of the Gulf of Mexico and Cuba, reaching 18 cm. It has commercial and aquarium use.
Also called: peixe-killi-do-golfo, sardinilla del Pánuco, gulf killifish
- maximum
- 18 cm
who is the gulf killifish
Killifish of the family Fundulidae, with an elongated body, reaching 18 cm. It occurs in the western Atlantic, from northeastern Florida in the United States to Key West, and in the northern Gulf of Mexico to Cuba, passing through Mexico. It prefers bays with seagrass, canals and nearby fresh water, avoiding tidal flats, and also occurs in fresh waters away from the coast. It eats small crustaceans and other invertebrates. It is not an annual killifish. It has commercial use and is used in the aquarium hobby, although it is hard to keep in an aquarium.
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 gulf killifish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Small freshwater and brackish fish from the Gulf of Mexico and Cuba, reaching 18 cm. It has an elongated body and small pearly spots on its sides. It lives in bays with seagrass and canals, near fresh water, and avoids tidal flats.
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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
Western Atlantic, from northeastern Florida to Key West, in the United States, and from the northern Gulf of Mexico to Cuba, as well as Mexico.
Habitat: Bays with seagrass, canals and nearby fresh water, avoiding tidal flats.
rules for the gulf killifish
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 anglers. Because it is small, handle it with wet hands and release it quickly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00724, b = 3.17; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). 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: Fundulus grandis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Fundulus grandisNames by country and language.
