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Tamoroko (Gnathopogon elongatus) — Cyprinidae

Tamoroko

Gnathopogon elongatus
Family: Cyprinidae
LC · Least Concern

The Tamoroko (Gnathopogon elongatus) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Algae or seagrass meadow
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The tamoroko is a small, slender cyprinid of the family Gobionidae reaching about 13 cm. The elongate, brown-silver body has a short barbel at the corner of the mouth and a dark lengthwise stripe along the flank. The species comes from Japan and lives in schools in lakes, ponds, ditches and slow-flowing rivers with abundant water plants. As an omnivore it eats zooplankton, insect larvae, algae and detritus. In spring it lays sticky eggs among the water plants. It is a common freshwater fish caught locally as a small food fish and occasionally seen in the aquarium hobby.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Tamoroko?

The Tamoroko has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Tamoroko live?

The Tamoroko lives in fresh water and is mostly found around algae or seagrass beds.

How big does the Tamoroko get?

The Tamoroko grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Tamoroko dangerous to humans?

No, the Tamoroko is harmless to humans.

Is the Tamoroko edible?

Yes, the Tamoroko is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Langlijf-grondel inferred
English name
Tamoroko verified
Scientific name
Gnathopogon elongatus
Family
Cyprinidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
13 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
Yes verified
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater verified
Substrate
Algae or seagrass meadow verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore verified
Social behaviour
Schooling verified
Territorial
No verified
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes verified
Sexual dimorphism
No verified

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten verified
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Gnathopogon

More from the family Cyprinidae

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