Empire Gudgeon 5cm

Empire Gudgeon

The empire Gudgeon is an incredibly under-rated, native Australian species that is easy to care for and looks super unique. These are super peaceful species with a flashy aesthetic, especially in the males, they also breed quite easily in the home aquarium and will be such amazing fish to add to an Australian-themed biotope or even just to add life to the bottom portion of a mixed community tank. 

Empire Gudgeons max out at around 12 cm and looks quite bland when they are small which is why they are often overlooked. Once the males mature though, there aren’t any comparable species to these Gudgeons. The body colour tends to be an array of yellows, oranges, and olive green which is contrasted by the fins and head. The head of the male empire Gudgeons will become a vibrant tomato red that leads down to the belly. The dorsal and ventral fins are rimmed with a deep black and white stripe which looks like it was coloured in with a permanent marker. When these fish flare up and display, they almost look like traffic controlled with how eye-catching the finds are. Males also develop a nuchal hump, and both sexes also have quite large eyes. 

When a group of males and females of empire Gudgeons are in an aquarium they are bound to breed and will tend to look after the fry quite well. The easiest way of describing their breeding behaviour is by comparing them to a dwarf cichlid like an Apistogramma. Females will lay eggs in a secluded part of the tank which males will fertilize and guard until the fry hatch. In a community setting, the fry does not have high rates of success in surviving which is why a dedicated breeding tank would be ideal.

Tank Recommendations for your Empire Gudgeon

Empire Gudgeons will get to a maximum length of around 12 cm but are quite peaceful when compared to other Gudgeon species of their size. The minimum tank size for a pair or small group of these Gudgeons would be a minimum volume of 120 liters. Keeping these fish on a sand or gravel substrate will be perfectly fine, they will also prefer a lot of driftwood and plants in the aquarium for cover. Though empire Gudgeons spend a lot of time near the bottom of the aquarium, having a lid will still be ideal. These fish will appreciate soft water parameters with the PH at around 6.0 - 7.0, these are also tropical fish that are best kept at 24 - 26 degrees. 

Suitable Tank Buddies

The empire Gudgeon will be a really peaceful addition to a community aquarium but may have the risk of predating on shrimp or any incredible nano fish. Aside from this, they will be suitable in almost any community aquarium setting.  

Usually Compatible

Australian smelt, pacific blue eye, crimson spotted the rainbow, olive glass fish, fire tail Gudgeon and other peaceful smaller species.

Sometimes Compatible

Neon tetras, guppies, pygmy corydoras, and any similar nano species might result in predation however in most cases this should not be of major concern as long as the Gudgeons are provided with enough space. 

Rarely Compatible

Fire mouth cichlids, Australian bass, barramundi, and other predatory fish

Feeding your Empire Gudgeon

Empire Gudgeons are very easy to feed. They will take a wide range of pellets, flakes, and frozen foods. Just like any fish though they should be fed a varied diet with a mix of different foods. The ideal diet would be a good quality slow-sinking pellet or crushed flake, supplemented with frozen bloodworms or black worms or even live foods like baby brine shrimp or micro worms.