Valenciennea sexguttata (Valenciennes, 1837)

Abstract

Valencienna sexguttata, the Sixspot goby, is a species of goby native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It inhabits bays or lagoons in waters of from 1 to 25 meters with silt or sand substrates with larger pieces of rock under which to burrow. Maximum length is 12 cm in Persian Gulf (Iran, Kish Island). V. sexguttata usually in pairs and lives in a burrow under rocks. Commonly seen in aggregations over large areas in lagoons of atolls. They are tireless workers, remain on all the substrate very clean due to the peculiarity of their power. The main difference with the rest of Valencianeas are 6 points neon blue that has in the shelving of the head and the black spot on the dorsal fin, In addition it blends with the white of the substrate and always will be around their burrows leaving it only to forage. V. sexguttata will be the day picking up the substrate by the mouth and automatically releasing by the gills, thus catch the microfauna of the substrate which serves as his power base. This species can get to stress the corals that we have, since the lifting of substrate, the dust that rises will be in the water to be removed by the skimmer column.