Meet the Engineer Fish

I first met the engineer fish, Pholidichthys leucotaenia, on a recent trip to California when I visited the California Academy of Sciences . The Academy's Naturalist Center Coordinator was kind enough to provide a picture as well as some additional details about the engineer fish.


Engineer Fish - Pholidichthys leucotaenia

Pholidichthys leucotaenia is commonly known as the engineer fish because of it's digging or undermining behavior. In captivity, engineering fish are often observed digging extensive tunnels in the sandy substrate under aquarium rock work. The Engineer Goby working to a beat Youtube video demonstrates its digging behavior. It is also known as engineer goby, convict blenny, Convict Worm Goby, Pacific Neon Goby, Convict Worm Blenny or just "Engineer". In nature, they are like normal fish. They eat, swim and chase other engineer fish around. Engineer fish are easy to keep in captivity. They don't bother other fish their size and eat almost anything. They are prolific and good parents producing 400 to 500 spawn at one time (see Mated Pair of Engineer Gobies ) The younger engineering fish form schools that are often found under ledges or around coral heads. Juveniles resemble the venomous striped catfish Plotosus lineatus. Older adults engineering fish like other blennies live secretively and reclusively in reefs and have a barred or spotted color pattern. Engineer fish inhabit shallow lagoons and coastal reefs from the Philippines south to the Solomon Islands. An article on the Wetwebmedia site sums up the fish the best: "Though indeed an "oddball" as marine fishes go, the engineer goby, convict blenny, whatever you call Pholidichthys leucotaenia is a gem of a marine fish for aquarists. It's hardy to the extreme, accepting of almost all food and tankmate situations, intelligent and interesting behaviorally."

The resemblance to real engineers is uncanny.

Human engineers or engineering humans when confined to a cube also create extensive drawings and designs. Civil engineering humans have even been observed creating extensive tunnel network designs (e.g., mines). Once released from their cubes, human engineers eat, imbibe drink, run, swim, ski, bike and chase other humans. Engineers are easily kept in their cubes and don't tend to bother other cubemates or co-workers. They tend to be good spouses and parents. Engineers can be fed almost anything like "We're working on a career path…". The younger engineering humans join clubs such as Dungeon & Dragons, astronomy or other geeky groups to socialize with other nerdy aspiring engineers. As some engineering humans mature, they have been observed adopting reclusive, oddball and anti-social behavior - often not attending group functions and obsessing about White Castle Vending Machines (See picture below). Engineering humans inhabit cubes across all continents.


Example of a Reclusive Engineer - Rogeringus Pinkies

Resources:
http://scienceray.com/biology/marine-biology/engineer-goby-pholidichthys-leucotaenia/
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+31+165&pcatid=165

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pholidichthyidae.

Binomial name: Pholidichthys leucotaenia