Author: (Herre, 1940)
Comments: A euryhaline species (Ref. 12041).  Occurs in estuaries, primarily in slow flowing canals and smaller bodies of water.  Feeds on small fishes and invertebrates, including mosquito larvae and entomostracans (Ref. 12693).  The following aquarium observations describe its captive behavior and breeding:  strictly benthic and quite secretive; males constructed nests under flat stones, shoveling sand with their large mouths while pieces of gravel (up to 12 mm diameter) are carried one by one; males display to each other with mouths wide open and may push against each other jaw to jaw, if observed may often switch to locking jaws (as if biting); about 1,000 eggs per batch (1.5 x 0.5 mm) and hatched after 44-95 hours at 25°C; larvae 2.4 mm long and floated up near the water surface until yolk absorbed after 124 hours, these then moved down into the water column (Ref. 80545).  Not seen in the markets (Ref. 12693); rarely collected (Ref. 80545).