Salamanderfish

Tim Storer

Salamanderfish - Lepidogalaxias salamandroides

A slender, cylindrical-bodied fish, which spends most of its time on the substrate – appearing to ‘stand’ on its pelvic and pectoral fins. It has a greenish to greyish to light-brown body, usually with dark patches along the sides and back, and flecked with silver markings. The belly is silver to pinkish (see Gallery) Males can be identified as having … Read More

Little pygmy perch

Tim Storer

Little Pygmy Perch, Nannoperca pygmaea

Only recently discovered by David Morgan and Stephen Beatty (Murdoch University) in 2008, and was only formally described in 2013. This is the smallest of all the pygmy perches, and one of the rarest freshwater fishes in the country. Difficult to distinguish from western pygmy perch, with which it co-occurs. Identification is based on a weight of evidence including: a … Read More

Nightfish

Tim Storer

Nightfish Bostockia porosa

A distinctive fish, resembling a miniature cod. It has a large mouth and distinctive pores on its head, and is typically deep olive purple to black to dark-brown when first caught, though can be become light-brown with mottled dark-brown pattern when held in lighter environments. It is often compared in appearance to the Murray Cod (east coast of Australia), which … Read More

Common jollytail

Tim Storer

Spotted minnow Galaxias maculatus

Also known as spotted minnow, however this name is sometimes also used for trout minnow. Colour is olive-grey to tan-brown overall, with a variable pattern of small spots, and sometimes bars/mottling, on the sides. The species is similar in appearance to the western minnow. Whilst the western minnow can typically be identified by distinctive dark bars running down each side (sometimes … Read More

Western mud minnow

Tim Storer

mud minnow galaxiella munda

A small fish rarely exceeding 60 mm, and more commonly up to 45 mm. Similar to the black-stripe minnow but more slender and distinguished by a coppery brown lateral stripe without obvious black edges. Colouration on the back is blue-grey to brownish with pale spots on upper sides; belly is white.

Black-stripe minnow

Tim Storer

Black-stripe minnow Galaxiella nigrostriata

A small fish rarely exceeding 50 mm. Distinguished by a distinctive black-margined, yellow to orange line running down both sides from the eye to the base of the caudal fin. Similar in appearance to the western mud minnow, but the mud minnow is generally more slender and without the characteristic black lines. Lines and colours can be less pronounced in … Read More

Balston’s pygmy perch

Tim Storer

Balstons pygmy perch nannoperca balstoni

The largest of the three species of pygmy perch (see also western pygmy perch and little pygmy perch). Has a distinctive diamond-shaped pattern running down its sides, with tan coloured diamonds over a brown background (or brown diamonds over a tan background depending on your point of view). The species can be otherwise distinguished from other pygmy perches by a … Read More

Pouched lamprey

Tim Storer

Pouched lamprey Geotria australis

Adults are eel-like but lack jaws and have a mouth in the form of a suctorial disk lined with rasping teeth. They also do not possess bones, but are supported by cartilage. Mature/maturing males have a pouch on the underside of the head, and it is only very recently that the function of the pouch has become known. The gular … Read More

South-western goby

Tim Storer

South-west goby - Afurcagobius suppositus

A moderately large goby (largest in fresh waters of the south-west) – found to 90 mm in some areas, though more typically encountered around 60 mm. Dorsally flattened head and snout, which distinguishes it from the blue-spot goby (Pseudogobius olorum). The two species can also be separated by mouth size and type, with the south-western goby having a superior mouth … Read More

Blue-spot goby

Tim Storer

Blue Spot goby or Swan River goby Pseudogobius olorum

  Also know as the Swan River goby, this is a small species found to 60 mm though generally less than 40 mm. A small cylindrincal benthic fish. It can closely resemble the south-western goby (Afurcagobius suppositus), however the blue-spot goby has a blunt, snub-nosed snout and inferior mouth (mouth ending behind the tip of the snout) which typically ends … Read More