Northern clingfish
Gobiesox maeandricus
- Not on exhibit
- Animal type
- Fishes
- Ecosystem
- Rocky shore
- Relatives
- Other clingfish; Family: Gobiesocidae
- Diet
- Worms, small crabs, other crustaceans
- Range
- Alaska to Baja California
- Size
- Up to 6.5 inches (17 cm)
Meet the northern clingfish
Living along rocky shores from Alaska to Baja California, northern clingfish often lie low in tide pools by hiding under rocks. There, they use their pelvic fins like suction cups to cling tightly to rocks or blades of kelp—even in strong currents or crashing waves.
Did you know?
A clingfish's suction cup does double duty. When the tide goes out, a clingfish's pool might be left high and dry. But the cup holds in moisture, so the fish can still breathe. Tucked safely beneath its rock, the clingfish waits until the tide rolls back in again.
Conservation
Rocky shore creatures like clingfish are at risk from coastal development and pollution such as oil spills and agricultural runoff. And rocky shores aren't as rugged as they seem. Careless visitors can trample tide pool animals underfoot, and many collect sea stars or other souvenirs to take home, which can leave tide pools barren of life.
Cool facts
- A clingfish can cling so tightly that the rock it's stuck on may be pulled away by strong currents with the fish still attached.
- Along the shores of the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound, clingfish face danger from land: gopher snakes sometimes enter tide pools to hunt these fish.
Up next in rocky shore
Animal
Opalescent nudibranch
Opalescent nudibranchs are one of the prettiest and most colorful species of nudibranchs.
Keep exploring
Animal
African penguin
Not all penguins live in snow—African penguins thrive along South Africa's coast in a mild climate.