Home / Fishes / Gobies and sleepers / Southern purplespotted gudgeon
No federal permit to keepSouthern purplespotted gudgeon
Mogurnda adspersa
Fishes › Gobies and sleepers (Gobiiformes) › Eleotridae (Sleeper gobies and gudgeons)
Mogurnda adspersa (commonly known as the southern purple-spotted gudgeon) is a species of endangered gudgeon that is endemic to south-eastern mainland Australia (the states of South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria and Queensland).
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.8 in / 7 cm; the largest recorded was 5.5 in).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 61–68°F (range recorded for this species).
- Hardness: 10–20 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 12 in (roughly 29 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 61–75 °F, pH 7–7.5, 10–20 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament territorial.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “The decor itself is not essential but should contain plenty of potential hiding places for this shy species.”
- Diet: “This gudgeon is a very unfussy eater and will accept most foods offered.”
- Tankmates: “It is territorial but is not particularly boisterous, although it will probably eat any tankmate it can fit in its mouth.”
- Breeding: “Use a species tank for breeding purposes, set up as suggested above.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Sleeper gobies and gudgeons
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: The sourced freshwater gudgeons inhabit lowland streams, ponds and rivers, with peacock gudgeons associated with rainforest waters and southern purple-spotted gudgeons with slow, weedy habitats. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For Tateurndina ocellicauda, provide at least a 45 x 30 cm base; the cited 45 x 30 x 30 cm aquarium accommodates a couple of adult pairs.
- For Mogurnda adspersa, use the larger cited 120 x 30 x 30 cm aquarium; do not apply the peacock gudgeon dimensions to other sleepers.
- Provide dense plants, wood and hiding places; dark substrate and floating cover particularly suit peacock gudgeons.
- Filter for clean water while avoiding strong current in these two species' displays.
- Fit a tight lid without gaps: both sourced species jump.
- For M. adspersa, supply flat spawning surfaces and separate brood-rearing space; the male guards eggs and adults can eat fry.
Diet
- Small live or frozen bloodworms for peacock gudgeons.
- Daphnia and brine shrimp, sized to the fish.
- Suitable dried aquarium foods supplemented with live or frozen foods; M. adspersa accepts a broad range.
Social life
- Peacock gudgeons suit compatible pairs or small groups; M. adspersa is territorial and can swallow small tankmates, although small groups are possible in sufficiently spacious housing.
Health watch
- Ammonia toxicity from immature or poorly maintained filtration.
- Freshwater white spot disease, a general aquarium-fish risk.
- Nutritional deficiencies from an unsuitable or monotonous ration.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
The fish is brown, although the shade becomes lighter near its abdomen. Spots of various colours occur on its sides.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Mogurnda adspersa” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits slow-flowing or still waters, among weed. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 61–68 °F (16–20 °C), pH 7, hardness 10–20 dH. |
| Climate | Subtropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: clutch tenders. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 61–68 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 87°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 48°F (down to 38°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 61–74°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 60–71% on average (driest month about 60%) |
| Rainfall | about 862 mm a year |
Measured at 193 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Mogurnda adspersa (commonly known as the southern purple-spotted gudgeon) is a species of endangered gudgeon that is endemic to south-eastern mainland Australia (the states of South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria and Queensland). The fish is brown, although the shade becomes lighter near its abdomen. Spots of various colours occur on its sides. After a dramatic population decline in the late 20th century, the fish was thought to be locally extinct in several areas, but was rediscovered both in South Australia and Victoria in the 21st century. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Wild diet | The fish feeds on small fish, plants, and other assorted animals, such as shrimp, worms, tadpoles, insects larvae, and small crustaceans. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Reproduction | Male swims around female with all fins erect and opercula expanded. This courting behavior may continue for some days. Female deposits about 30 eggs and then rests while male fertilizes them. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | Maximum length 14.0 cm tl male/unsexed. — FishBase |
| Biology | Inhabits slow-flowing or still waters, among weed. Occurs in rivers, creeks and billabongs, usually over rocks or among vegetation. Feeds on worms, dragonfly larvae, midge and mosquito larvae, crustaceans and mosquito fishes. — FishBase |
| Conservation | M. adspersa was classified as threatened (regionally extinct) in Victoria, endangered in New South Wales, and critically endangered in South Australia. It is not considered threatened in Queensland. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Common length to maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 12 in (about 29 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Tateurndina ocellicauda Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Mogurnda adspersa Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
