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Ice goby (Leucopsarion petersii) — Gobiidae

Ice goby

Leucopsarion petersii
Family: Gobiidae

The Ice goby (Leucopsarion petersii) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
5.8 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Depth
1.0–? m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: China, Japan, Korea (South)
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The ice goby is a remarkable goby (Gobiidae) from coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a slender, almost glass-clear, scaleless body in which only the eyes and some organs stand out; it keeps a larval appearance throughout life. As a schooling fish it ascends rivers to spawn. It eats small zooplankton. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Ice goby?

The Ice goby has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly white.

Where does the Ice goby live?

The Ice goby lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Asia: China, Japan, Korea (South)

How big does the Ice goby get?

The Ice goby grows to a maximum of about 6 cm.

Is the Ice goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Ice goby is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Ice goby edible?

Yes, the Ice goby is commonly eaten.

More photos

Ice goby (Leucopsarion petersii) — Gobiidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) 茜島, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Ice goby (Leucopsarion petersii) — Gobiidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) kusa-to-uo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Ice goby (Leucopsarion petersii) — Gobiidae — 4
kusa-to-uo (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Ice goby (Leucopsarion petersii) — Gobiidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) K.Kawasaka, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Ice goby sourced
Scientific name
Leucopsarion petersii
Family
Gobiidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
5.8 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
White sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: China, Japan, Korea (South) sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

More from the family Gobiidae

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