Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus

The Round Goby is native to freshwaters, brackish estuaries and coastal salt lakes/lagoons of its native Black Sea, Seas of Marmara and Azoz, Crimean rivers, Caspian Sea, and Caucasus freshwater basins. It is also invasive in continental European fresh/brackish waterways, the Baltic and the American Great Lakes.

Background colour of the mottled adults can be grey, charcoal black (spawning male), reddish brown or olive green. It grows to 15-25cm long. There is a large black spot on the first dorsal fin.

Main diet is molluscs, crustaceans, fish eggs, worms and insect larvae. Juveniles are white or translucent.