Empire Gudgeons (Hypseleotris compressa)

Empire gudgeon

NATIVE AUSTRALIAN FISH

Carp gudgeon, empire fish, northern-carp gudgeon.

Minimum volume requirement: A small pond or tank of approx 120L can house up to 2 of these fish

Size: 12cm

pH: 7 – 8.5

Temperature: 12°C – 28°C

Life span: 3 – 5 years

Description

A small species of up to 12cm. Colour varies considerably in their species, individuals can also rapidyl darken or lighten themselves. Usually the head and body range from fawn to golden brown with a lighter belly. darker vertical bars may be seen across the dorsal scales. During breeding season, mature males will turn bright red on the head, belly and fins with dark edging finished with light blue colouration.

Males will grow larger than females and develop a slight bump on the top of their heads.

Distribution

Occurs in low–elevation coastal streams in New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory, and north -western Western Australia. Also recorded from southern New Guinea. The southern limit on the east coast is Towamba River in New South Wales.

Breeding

Spawning normally occurs during warmer months, the eggs being deposited on rock, weed, or sand and guarded by the male; up to 3000 eggs about 0.3mm long are laid and hatch in 10-13hrs. In aquaria, females often spawn several times a season, with spawning occurring every 2-7 days. One female may spawn with several males.

Diet

Empire gudgeons are omnivores consuming a variety of insect larvae and aquatic invertebrates as well as algae and detritus.

Empire Gudgeon in Pond and Dams

These gudgeons are well suited to warmer climates and temperatures, in NSW, they may not do very well in shallow small ponds, but can still thrive in large ponds and dams. During the cold months, they become really slow and spend a lot of their time at the bottom, feeding very less.

Empire Gudgeons (Hypseleotris compressa)