Biology

This species is rarely found in marine waters for it prefers salinity below 9 ppt. Occurs in still or slowly flowing water over muddy bottom at depths of around 0.5-10 m in summer and moves to deeper waters in winter. It lives for a about a year; spawns in April-October. Females lay eggs in two portions, sometimes more and die shortly after last release of eggs while the males die 3-4 weeks later. The males probably guard a clutch of eggs until hatching. Feeds on benthic invertebrates, mainly molluscs (Ref.59043).