Shuttles Hoppfish

Very active during the day, spending most of their time squabbling with their neighbors over territory. They feed on algae that the tides leave behind, so when the tide’s out, they’re emerge from their burrows to feed, returning to the burrow when the tide comes back in.

To reproduce, mudskippers and other gobies attach their eggs to vegetation, or coral or a rock, and a male guards them until the eggs hatch after a few days. After the larvae are born, they go to saltwater to continue growth. Life expectancy of gobies vary from one year to ten years, those living in temperate environments.

The physiology of mudskippers is like that of any fish, but what’s special about them is their ability to breathe above water. The reality is that they’re not air-breathing, but obtaining oxygen from packets of water in their mouths.

Mudskippers breed and are born in freshwater. Then, as newly-hatched larvae, they travel to saltwater to feed and grow for two months or so. After that they return to freshwater as juvenile adults, and they remain in the fresh water for the rest of their lives.

Bony fishes divided into two groups, one of which (actinopterigians) contained mudskippers. The latter evolved special respiratory systems that allowed them to breathe out of water. Mudskippers were then able to use their fins like a pair of legs to pull them out of their underwater habitats. It’s believed that this became necessary because of inhospitable water conditions (like, moving from one pool to another).

Found in the following locations: Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, and Tanzania.

Diseases aren’t common in mudskippers; nonetheless they are still prone to viral disorders, bacterial infections like fin rot, fungal infections, and mold infections.

“Amphibious species spending most of the time out of the water; able to meet its oxygen requirements as long as it stays wet. Typically resting on mud, rocks, or mangrove roots with their tails dipped in the water. Feeds on worms, crustaceans, and insects...Differs from P. argentilineatus by lacking thin silvery bars ventrally on the sides and having pelvic fins connected at the base by a low membrane (Ref. 37816).”

Born in freshwater, swim to salt water as newly-hatched larvae where they feed and grow for a few months and then return to fresh water as juvenile adults. They remain in the freshwater for the remainder of their lives.

Mudskippers associate with their own species. Any other creature they associate with is not for a social purpose but for survival, such as the algae and arthropods they consume.

Distinguished by the following characteristics: pelvic fins united anteriorly by a moderateto strong frenum; medial rays united by a membrane for about half their length; D 1 height moderate, its margin rounded, a dusky stripe inframarginally and no spots on fin, no elongate spines; D2 with single dusky stripe inframarginally; dorsal fins not connected by membrane;D I with 1O-l7 spines; longitudinal scale count 75-100; head width 14.1-19.8% SL; pelvic fin length 11.5-14.6% SL; length of anal fin base 16.1-22.2% SL; length of D2 base 19.8-24.1 % SL; total D2 elements 12-14; total anal fin elements 11-13; TRDB 19-29 (Ref. 5218).

Amphidromous. Refers to fishes that regularly migrate between freshwater and the sea (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding, as in anadromous and catadromous species. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well-grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there (Ref. 82692).

Intertidal, actively shuttling back and forth between rockpools and air (Ref. 31184). Breathes air when out of water (Ref. 31184). Found in estuaries, swamps, marshy areas and tidal mud flats. Moves around briskly on land preying on small animals.

Intertidal, actively shuttling back and forth between rock pools and air (Ref. 31184). They breathe air when out of water (Ref. 31184). Can stay out of the water for up to 22-60 hours if kept moist (Ref. 51276). Inhabits level mudflats with no vegetation (Ref. 92840). Found in estuaries, swamps, marshy areas and tidal mud flats. Moves around briskly on land preying on small animals. Used in Chinese medicine (Ref. 12166).

fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial

The shuttles hoppfish or shuttles mudskipper (Periophthalmus modestus) is a species of mudskippers native to fresh, marine and brackish waters of the northwestern Pacific Ocean from Vietnam to Korea and Japan. This species occurs in muddy estuaries, tidal flats and swamps and marshes and is capable of remaining out of the water for up to 60 hours so long as it is kept moist. This species can reach a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade and is also used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Common places in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia and other places of mangrove wetlands.