Gumdrop Coral Croucher

[Ace25]

I don't really see anyone talking about these fish. Anyone else have one? Experiences? Anything? There isn't a lot of info about them on the net.

I have had mine for 4 years now. He doesn't swim at all.. just sits under corals "crouching" all day, and when I feed, he darts out so fast to grab food you can barely see him. Cool fish, but when I bought him he was sold to me as a "goby". When I got home and read the little there is out there I realized it was a scorpionfish.. and ever since.. been a tad leary of sticking my hand in the tank. I know its just like a bad bee sting.. but I would rather do without that pain.

This is the best pic I could get of him as he likes to hide most of the time. The pic of him seems blury but it is just the way the fish looks, they are "furry" fish, have little hairs on them.

 

[andy1130]

Think some of the confusion you experienced comes from the problems with common names, the species of goby G. histrio, is also sometimes called a gumdrop goby (among other things). These fish also perch around pocilliporid and acropora species just like your coral croucher C. maculatus does in the wild. Cool species to keep and one that not a lot of people have, I really dont think i could tell you anything about the fish though that you wouldnt know after keeping him 4 years.

 

[Ace25]

Thanks for the info. I have a clown goby as well. I have never heard those called gumdrop gobies but I can see the resemblence in behaviour. He is definately a coral croucher as well, but he also swims all over the tank and is very active, unlike my gumdrop.

I was just kind of curious if anyone else has ever had or currently have this fish. Wondering how common it is. I have only seen the one I bought at any LFS I have been to over the years so I don't think they are common, but that could just be this area, or lack of demand.

 

[Grins]

I've seen them mentioned a few times but it is admittingly rare. Did you try a search of the marine forums?