Tubenose Goby   (Proterorhinus marmoratus)

DESCRIPTION

The tubenose goby (Proterorhinus marmoratus) is a bottom-dwelling species that can live in slightly brackish to freshwater. These fish defend nest sites created under rocks, logs, and shells, and they produce young that look like adults.  Although the tubenose goby can live up to five years, males die after they spawn.  The goby typically feeds on aquatic insects.

In general, gobies are mottled brown in color and have two dorsal fins, a rounded caudal fin and a blunt head.  They have relatively large eyes and scales on their heads.  Gobies are characterized by the fusion of their pectoral fins to form a suctorial disc.  This unique structure distinguishes the goby from other fishes, including the similar-looking, native sculpin. 

The tubenose can be distinguished from its round goby cousin because the tubenose has long anterior nostrils.  The round goby also has thick lips and protruding eyes, and it can reach 25 cm in length.  In contrast, the smaller tubenose goby rarely exceeds 11 cm in length.

 

	Thick lips Frog-like raised eyes Fin may be tinged in green Black spot Body mostly slate gray, mottled with black to brown spots Single scallop-shaped pelvic (bottom) fin
	Approx. 4-1/2" in length Abundant in Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and Detroit River Looks similar to various darter species
Credit: Donna Francis Org: Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters 2002	Credit & Org: Aquatic Nuisance Species, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources

(Source: 1. Goby, Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters 2002 http://www.invadingspecies.com/index.cfm?DocID=23&Type=Round_Goby; 2. Aquatic Nuisance Species, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/pdfs/fishing/fishguide/fgpage1718.htm)

IMPACTS

Although both the tubenose goby and the round goby were first identified in the Great Lakes Region in 1990, the round goby has become extremely abundant in the area while the tubenose goby has yet to become widespread.  Due to its large size and aggressive behavior, the round goby has already caused changes in the St. Clair River and has earned a reputation for stealing bait from anglers. In addition, as the round goby populations increase in numbers, abundance of the native mottled scalping and logperch have decreased. While the round goby appears to be able to out-compete some native bottom-dwelling fish, it is prey to some of the larger fishes in the area, and this relationship may affect its impact on the region. Because the tubenose goby is a smaller, less aggressive species, its effect on the community is expected to be minimal.

On the contrary, there is a positive aspect of gobies. They eat large quantities of zebra mussel, a highly problematic invader species with an extremely high reproductive capacity. North American laboratory studies have shown that individual gobies can eat as many as 78 zebra mussels a day.

(Source: 1. Goby, Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters 2002 http://www.invadingspecies.com/index.cfm?DocID=23&Type=Round_Goby; 2. Round Gobies, Fact Sheet 065, Ohio Sea Grant,  http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/PDFS/PUBLICATIONS/FS/FS-065.PDF)

Two species from eastern Europe, the round goby and the tubenose goby, were introduced to the St. Clair River and Michigan in the late 1980's. It is believed that both species arrived in North America after being transported in the ballast water of ships originating from eastern Europe. After being discovered in the St. Clair River, both goby species have been found in Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River, and Western Lake Erie. Round gobies have also been found throughout much of Lake Erie, southern Lake Huron (Goderich), southern Lake Michigan, western Lake Superior (Duluth), in the Bay of Quinte, and in the western basin of Lake Ontario. Round gobies have invaded inland waters in Michigan. It is believed that ships from the St. Clair River area transported the isolated Great Lakes populations.

(Source: Goby, Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters 2002, http://www.invadingspecies.com/index.cfm?DocID=23&Type=Round_Goby; 2. USGS, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (Proterorhinus marmoratus), http://nas.er.usgs.gov/fishes/accounts/gobiidae/pr_marmo.html)

To help control the spread of gobies, people must first be able to identify them.  Only after being able to identify gobies can citizens report new goby sightings. Captured goby (or suspected goby) samples should be preserved in rubbing alcohol or by freezing.  These samples, along with information on where and when they were obtained, can then be passed on to the appropriate state Sea Grant office, fisheries management agency, or other suitable entity to verify their identification.  This will enable researchers and biologists to track the spread of gobies. 

Several precautionary measures can  also be taken to further help control and slow the spread of gobies.  These include:

Inspecting live bait to ensure that no round gobies are accidentally released into fishing areas;

Discarding live bait on land, and not into the water, to ensure that no exotic aquatic life is introduced into native water bodies; 

Implementing Ballast water exchange laws that restrict and regulate the dumping of ballast water within North American waterways.

     Inspect your boat, motor, trailer, and boating equipment such as anchors and fishing gear, centerboards, rollers, and axles. Remove all visible animals and plants before leaving any body of water.

   Drain water from the motor, live well, bilge and transom wells on land immediately before leaving the shore of the waterbody.

   Wash or dry your boat, tackle, downriggers, trailer, and other boating equipment.  Some aquatic species can survive more than two weeks out of water. Therefore, to kill harmful species that were not visible at the boat launch, it is important to:

·        With hot tap water (> 40°C), rinse your boat and other equipment that normally gets wet, or

·        Spray your boat and trailer with high pressure (250 psi) water, or

·        Dry your boat and equipment in the sun for at least 5 days before transporting them to another body of water.

Exotic species can be accidentally spread by boaters who travel from infested to uninfested waters. Some species (e.g., Gobies, Zebra Mussel, Ruffe, Eurasian Watermilfoil) can be picked-up and transported on boating equipment including boats, trailers, motors, tackle, downriggers, anchors, axles, rollers, and centerboards. As a boater, you help prevent this from happening. To avoid spreading exotic species, follow these easy steps before transporting your boat to another waterway.

BEFORE leaving the boat launch

INSPECT your boat, trailer and equipment and remove any plants and animals.
DRAIN, on land, all water from the motor, livewell, bilge, and transom well. Some exotics may not be visible to the naked eye.
EMPTY your bait bucket on land. Never release live bait into a waterway, or transfer aquatic animals between waterways. 

AFTER leaving the boat launch

WASH your boat, tackle, trailer, and  other equipment to kill any exotic species not visible at the boat launch. This can be done with 104°F tap water, or a high-pressure sprayer. or
DRY  your equipment for at least five days-some exotics can survive for long periods of time out of water.
LEARN what these organisms look like, and know which waterways are infested. 
REPORT any new infestations to any Sea Grant or your Department of Natural Resources.

(Source:  1. Goby, Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters 2002 http://www.invadingspecies.com/index.cfm?DocID=23&Type=Round_Goby; 2. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant publication, IL-IN-SG-98-1, http://www.iiseagrant.org/publication/br.htm; 3.Source: Round Gobies, Fact Sheet 065, Ohio Sea Grant, http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/PDFS/PUBLICATIONS/FS/FS-065.PDF)

Proterorhinus marmoratus USGS, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species   
    http://nas.er.usgs.gov/fishes/accounts/gobiidae/pr_marmo.html
This page introduces identification, native range, status, nonindigenous occurrences, and reference. It also includes distribution map.

Tubenose Goby Distribution Map (Nov. 1997): the United States Geological Survey (USGS)
    http://nas.er.usgs.gov/fishes/images/pr_marmo.gif
This map shows the current geographic distribution of Tubenose Goby in Great Lakes.

Goby: Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters 2002
    http://www.invadingspecies.com/index.cfm?DocID=23&Type=Round_Goby
This site provides information about two species, round goby and tubenose goby, including identification tips, impacts, and ecological features.

Tubenose Goby Extends Its Reach
    http://www.glrc.org/story.php3?story_id=1279
An exotic fish species called the tubenose goby made its way into the St. Clair River after it was flushed from a ship's ballast water 11 years ago. The tubenose hasn't spread as fast as its cousin, the round goby, but researchers were recently surprised to find the tubenose spreading further into Lake Erie. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Karen Schaefer reports.

Link   http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/10/10192001/s_45311.asp