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Fish identification archive / Colon Goby

Colon Goby

Coryphopterus dicrus

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Original side-profile illustration of Colon Goby (Coryphopterus dicrus); two dark dots at the pectoral-fin base resemble a punctuation colon.
Original identification illustration of Colon Goby. Features may vary.

Fun facts for your next surface interval

  • Its two shoulder dots look like the punctuation mark that gives it its common name.
  • The pelvic-fin outline has a V-shaped indentation rather than a simple rounded back edge.
  • Its tail-base spots are connected by a dark bar, adding a second useful punctuation-like mark.

Florida and local context

Lake Worth Lagoon, Palm Beach County, Florida: The exact species row in the Florida Museum Lake Worth Lagoon checklist is marked verified, rather than merely listed as potentially occurring.

Documented regional presence is not a guarantee of an encounter or a measure of how common this animal is at your dive site.

How to recognize this animal

Two dark dots at the pectoral-fin base resemble a punctuation colon. The upper dot may send a dark streak onto the fin. There is no dark blotch above the gill cover. The body is translucent gray with scattered pink, tan and yellow spots, and a row of small dark midline marks. A narrow dark bar connects two spots at the tail base.

Size and life stages

The Smithsonian account gives a maximum length of about 5 cm (2.0 inches). Its reported depth envelope is 1–56 m. These are species-level limits, not the expected size and depth of every encounter. Use markings and proportions as well as apparent length; a photograph without a reliable scale cannot establish an exact measurement.

Habitat and where to look

Coral reefs and the rocky spaces between individual coral colonies form its habitat. It also uses reef-associated loose substrate. A translucent fish resting beside rubble can be overlooked until its eye or pectoral spots become apparent. The habitat overlaps with other sand gobies, so location on the bottom does not replace the need to check diagnostic markings.

Range and local context

The documented regional range is Georgia through Florida and the Caribbean, with records south to Brazil. The exact species row in the Florida Museum Lake Worth Lagoon checklist is marked verified, rather than merely listed as potentially occurring. These records establish geographic occurrence, not abundance or a guaranteed encounter at a particular dive site.

What is on the menu?

The recorded diet includes microalgae, detritus and small benthic crustaceans. This makes colon goby a bottom-feeding omnivore rather than a specialized open-water plankton hunter. Its small mouth and close association with reef interspaces are useful context when observing feeding. A diver should describe visible picking movements without inventing the identity of food too small to resolve.

Daily habits and behavior

The fish stays close to reef-associated bottom and can look almost transparent against a mixed surface. Its twin shoulder spots are often more recognizable than the rest of the body. The pelvic fins are joined but the rear edge is indented, making a V-like outline. That anatomical feature helps technical comparisons but should never require handling a live animal.

Mating and the next generation

Bottom-associated eggs and pelagic larvae are recorded for the species. The contrast between egg placement, drifting larvae and a later reef-bottom life is part of its biology. The checked sources do not specify a Palm Beach spawning period, brood size or duration of parental care. Those details are not assumed from another Coryphopterus species.

Look-alikes and identification traps

Bridled goby is the closest practical comparison in this archive. It usually has one upper pectoral-base spot and a double-peaked dark mark above the gill cover; colon goby has two pectoral spots and lacks that upper head blotch. Tail-base markings also differ. Count the marks in a clear photograph rather than relying on an impression of a spotted pale fish.

Observe without disturbing

Use a side angle that keeps the pectoral base visible. Do not herd the fish across bare sand, brush away rubble or place a finger beside it for scale. The colon-like pair of spots can be hidden by a folded fin or an oblique angle. If either shoulder or head marks are obscured, keep the identification provisional.

Harvest, protection and eating safety

Restricted marine life: live collection only; no spearing

Can it be hunted or harvested?

Colon Goby (Coryphopterus dicrus) is regulated tropical ornamental marine life, not an unrestricted food-fishing species. FWC lists gobies, family Gobiidae. Where collection is lawful, a saltwater fishing license is required unless exempt. Land and keep the fish alive with circulating, aerated or oxygenated life support. Maximum permitted harvest size is 2 inches TOTAL length, not a minimum. Larger individuals must not be collected. Daily limit: five of this species within 20 marine-life organisms total per person. Two-day possession maximum: ten of this species within 40 organisms total. Recreational sale is prohibited.

Florida seasons and areas

No annual recreational closed months are listed for this marine-life species. Collection is prohibited within the designated Blue Heron Bridge dive-site boundary and throughout Biscayne National Park. Collection of these gobies and blennies is also prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Florida marine-life rules also apply in adjacent federal waters on both coasts. Check the exact park, refuge or sanctuary zone before collecting. The designated one-square-mile Western Dry Rocks area is closed to all fishing April 1–July 31 annually.

Can it be speared?

No. Spears are not authorized recreational gear for this regulated marine-life fish. Only lawful live-collection methods may be used, such as permitted hand-held, barrier or drop nets or a slurp gun. The live-landing requirement still applies.

Is it safe to eat?

Not recommended as a food target. This fish is regulated for live collection, and this guide does not certify it as safe to eat. Check Florida DOH guidance before consuming locally caught fish. Cooking does not remove all marine toxins. Small size, an absence of a specific advisory, and lawful collection do not establish food safety.

Before you act: This recreational overview is not permission to collect or spear at your dive site. Confirm the species, date, management area, state or federal waters, gear, licenses and current local closures. Identification artwork cannot establish an identification or guarantee seafood safety.

Official rules and health guidance

Reviewed 2026-11-10. Rules and advisories can change; check the linked authorities before harvesting or eating.

Sources and review

Reviewed 2026-11-10.

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