Where did the round goby come from?
• The round goby comes from the Black & Caspian Seas in Europe. • It was introduced into the U.S. via ballast water into the St. Clair River, near Detroit, MI in 1990. • The round goby has not been found in Kansas. What do round gobies look like? • Round gobies are bottom-dwelling fish that perch on rocks and other substrate. • They can grow to 10 inches as adults. • Gobies have large heads, soft bodies, and dorsal fins lacking spines; they slightly resemble large tadpoles. • The gobies’ unique feature is their fused pelvic (bottom) fins, which form a suctorial disk that aids in anchoring the fish to the substrate. • Young round gobies are a solid slate gray; larger individuals have blotches of black and brown over their bodies, and their dorsal fin may be tinged with green. Why are round gobies a problem? • The round goby can displace native fish from prime habitat and spawning areas. • Round gobies eat the eggs and young of other fish species. • Have a competitive advantage over othe
