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Freshwater Fish of Victoria: Tupong | FN0056 |
Fisheries Victoria, Melbourne
Updated: March 2007
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Common Name:
Tupong
Other Names:
Congolli, Sanding, Sand Whiting, Sand Trout, Freshwater Flathead, Marble Fish
Family:
Bovichthyidae
Scientific Name:
Pseudaphritis urvillii (Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1831)
Status:
Native | |
Description
Long almost rounded body with a flattened head. Rather small mouth with a gape extending back to below about the middle of the eye, the lower jaw is longest. A nostril on each side of the head in front of the eye. Eyes small, close together, almost on top of the head. Two dorsal fins, the first spiny, the second soft. A long anal fin. Scales cover the head and body. Upper body colour varies from dark brown to bluish or purplish, or reddish-brown marbled with greenish-brown, lighter on the sides. Darker blotches on the back and sides. Yellow, white or silver belly. There may be a dark horizontal stripe along the body below the lateral line. Eye is yellow. Two dark bars running obliquely back and down from the eye, and there may be a third dark bar in front of the eye. Fins are generally colourless or straw-coloured, but anal fin may be pinkish, but may have small black spots.
Distribution
Widespread and common in coastal streams and rivers. Also found up to high altitudes.
Habitat
Inhabits a wide variety of estuarine and riverine situations. Prefers ares of slow-flowing water in streams and is normally found amongst debris and leaf litter on the bottom of pools, under logs or under overhanging banks. Also found in still water bodies. Can move great distances inland.
Brief Biology
Known to reach 36 cm, but most often taken 15-20 cm in length. Little is known about the breeding cycle but there are indications of distinct seasonal movements from upper reaches of coastal rivers down to estuaries which may be associated with spawning. Spawning occurs between late April to mid August.
Bottom dwelling fish; primarily carnivorous and an opportunistic feeder; diet includes insects and crustaceans; small fish and small amounts of plant material. Insects are the main component in fresh water, crustaceans form the bulk of their food in estuaries. A hardy species that can withstand rapid changes in salinity.
Other Notes
An edible fish, but usually not large enough to be kept by anglers. The Tupong is the only member of the Bovichthyidae, a small family of fishes which is distributed around Antarctica, that enters freshwaters of Australia.
Further Reading
Freshwater Fish of Victoria is a series of brief information material on the native and introduced freshwater fish of Victoria's inland waters. Further, detailed reading on Tupong is contained in:
- A Guide to the Freshwater Fish of Victoria, Phillip Cadwallader & Gary Backhouse,Department of Conservation and Environment
- Australian Freshwater Fishes, John R. Merrick & Gunther E. Schmida
- Biological Information for Management of Native Freshwater Fish in Victoria, J D Koehn, W G O'Connor
Acknowledgements
This Information Note was prepared by Charles Barnham PSM, with the assistance of Gary Backhouse, Phillip Cadwallader and Tarmo Raadik. The previous version was published in April 1998.
The advice provided in this publication is intended as a source of information only. Always read the label before using any of the products mentioned. The State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.
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