Mudskipper fish are interesting creatures that combine sea and land. They spend more time under water on land, using their migratory fins to propel themselves forward or to jump. These unusual fish are found in different regions around the world, from Africa to Asia, from Australia to the islands of Samoa and Tonga. They usually live in tropical or subtropical habitats, but you may also see a few species in temperate regions. Mudskipper fish live in tidal zones, swamps or rivers and are often seen in mud. During low tide, these interesting fish feed on land, and some travel further from the water's edge. Some species live in flooded areas only during the highest tides and build a wet nest for this purpose.
Characteristics of Mudskipper Fish
Mudskipper fish have an elongated torpedo-shaped body. They have two dorsal fins on their backs and one lateral fin on each side. Unlike other fish, their pectoral fins are quite muscular and are used as legs when moving on land. Their mouths are located on the lower part of the head, which allows them to feed on animals and algae found in the mud.
The large, bulging eyes of mudskipper fish resemble frog eyes. These eyes are mobile and retractable. Each eye can move individually and has a wide field of view, which allows these fish to see almost 360 degrees of their surroundings. Also, their vision under water is not very good, but they have excellent vision on land. While on land, they use a water-filled pouch to moisten their eyes and seem to blink while doing so.
How Does the Mudskipper Breathe?
Mudskippers use their gills for respiration like other fish, but they have a special ability. When their gills dry up, they clump together and are unable to absorb oxygen. But when landing on land, they use special chambers to close these gill chambers, trapping water and air. This allows the gills to continue working and during this process the gill chambers expand for maximum oxygen uptake, causing mudskippers to have an appearance similar to inflated cheeks.
Mudskipper fish also use another way of breathing on land, namely skin respiration. However, for this form of breathing, the skin must be moist. Therefore, these fish need a moist environment to survive, and they maintain this humidity by frequently grabbing from the water or rolling in mud. Their skin and mouth lining are enriched with capillaries for efficient gas exchange.
How Does the Mudskipper Move?
Mudskipper fish can move quite skillfully on land. These interesting fish have different movement patterns. They can drag themselves using their two pectoral fins, but they can also move alternately, as our legs do. This move reminds them of humans moving like "crutches" because they use their pectoral fins to pull themselves up. They also turn their tails and bodies sideways by making a jumping motion and try to push themselves towards the ground. The pelvic fins of some species fuse to help them climb. Mudskipper fish are also excellent jumpers and climbers.
Daily Life of Mudskipper Fish
Mudskipper fish often build burrows in mud. The entrance to these burrows is exposed during the tide, so the fish are on land during this time period. Meanwhile, the reason they enter their nests is to protect themselves from predators, not to dry out, to lay eggs and to care for them. During high tide, mudskipper fish are often attracted to their burrows.
After the tide has receded, the fish come out of their shelter or descend into the waters and walk into the mud. Mudskipper fish are carnivores and feed on a wide variety of prey from insects, worms, crustaceans and more.
Mating and Reproduction
The mating and spawning rituals of mudskippers are very specific and they are very difficult to breed in captivity. Males tend to change color during the mating season. Some males develop brightly colored throats against their rivals. During the mating season, males raise and lower their dorsal fins, nod their heads and open their mouths. In this way, they try to attract the attention of the females. To attract females, they shake their bodies, jump and open their fins. When a male attracts a female, they enter their burrow to mate.
Reproduction takes place in the male nest. When eggs are laid, an egg cell is attached to the walls or ceiling of the nest. The male then removes the female from the nest and spies on the eggs on his own. Adult mudskipper fish carefully aerate the eggs and collect them in the nest to allow them to develop. The eggs are released for a week during high tide. How the hatched larvae will survive and grow in the sea remains a mystery. But the successful ones become part of the plankton. If they can survive, they will eventually grow into adult mudskipper fish. Plankton is the term for the small organisms of the ocean to gather, and these organisms are either unable to resist currents or are too weak to swim. Plankton is an important food source for many marine animals.
Mudskipper Fish as Pets
Some mudskipper fish species are kept as interesting pets in home aquariums. These fish are curious about what is going on in their environment and recognize people who approach with food. If you are considering keeping them in your home aquarium, you must keep them at the right temperature and humidity and offer them a suitable habitat. Because they are territorial, mudskippers require adequate space where they can stay away from other fish. You should also provide an environment with branches that they can climb, but make sure that the fish cannot get out of their aquarium.
