An official website of the United States government.

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites always use a .gov or .mil domain. Before sharing sensitive information online, make sure you’re on a .gov or .mil site by inspecting your browser’s address (or “location”) bar.

This site is also protected by an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate that’s been signed by the U.S. government. The https:// means all transmitted data is encrypted — in other words, any information or browsing history that you provide is transmitted securely.

National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Home / Aquatic Invasives / Fish and Other Aquatic Vertebrates / Round Goby

Round Goby

View all resources
Round Goby, adult
Round goby, adult - Photo by Center for Great Lakes and Aquatic Sciences Archives, University of Michigan
Scientific Name: 
Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas 1814) (ITIS)
Common Name: 
Round goby
Native To: 
Eurasia (NAS Database)
Date of U.S. Introduction: 
First discovered in 1990 (NAS Database)
Means of Introduction: 
Ballast water (NAS Database)
Impact: 
Competes with and preys on native species (NAS Database)

Spotlights

MDC Asks Anglers to Help Stop Invasive Round Gobies (May 6, 2021)

Missouri Department of Conservation.

Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) fisheries biologists say that the Show-Me-State has another aquatic invader to be on the watch for. It's already been detected in the Mississippi River near St. Louis—and anglers might be the first line of defense. The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is native to the Black and Caspian Seas between Europe and Asia and was brought to the U.S. by way of the Great Lakes in cargo ship ballast. Since then, the invasive fish has made its way down the Illinois River and has been confirmed just across the Mississippi at Alton, Illinois. MDC encourages anglers to take photos and email MDC with details if they encounter any round gobies. Anglers should report the sighting and email photos to MDCgoby@mdc.mo.gov.

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: Point Map - Round Goby
DOI. USGS. Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
Provides detailed collection information as well as animated map.

Images

Google Images - Round goby
Google.
Invasive.org - Round goby
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.

Videos

YouTube - What Will Round Gobies Do to Great Lakes Streams?
Google. YouTube; University of Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for Round Goby.

Council or Task Force
Fact Sheet: Round Goby (Feb 2018) (PDF | 1.37 MB)

Alberta Invasive Species Council (Canada).

See also: Fact Sheets for more information about individual invasive species, including those listed as "Prohibited Noxious" and "Noxious" under the Alberta Weed Control Act

Species of Concern Fact Sheet: Round Goby
Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.
Partnership
NOBANIS: Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet - Neogobius melanostomus (2012) (PDF | 409 KB)
European Network on Invasive Alien Species.
See also: NOBANIS Fact Sheets for invasive alien species of the European region, covering both animals and plants, as well as microorganisms
Global Invasive Species Database - Neogobius melanostomus (fish)
IUCN. Species Survival Commission. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Invaders Factsheet: Round Goby

Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program (Canada).

Invasive Species Compendium - Neogobius melanostomus
CAB International.
NEANS Panel Online Guide - Round Goby
Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel.
New York Invasive Species Information - Round Goby

New York Invasive Species Clearinghouse.

TISI Inventory - Round Goby
Texas State University System. Texas Invasive Species Institute.
Federal Government
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: Fact Sheet - Round Goby
DOI. USGS. Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
Provides distribution maps and collection information (State and County).
State and Local Government
Invasive Aquatic Animals: Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Round Goby Fact Sheet (PDF | 56 KB)
Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
See also: Fighting Invasive Species: Invasive Fish for more fact sheets
Academic
Animal Diversity Web - Neogobius melanostomus
University of Michigan. Museum of Zoology.
Factsheet: Round Goby
Pennsylvania State University. Pennsylvania Sea Grant.
See also: Aquatic Invasive Species: Resources for additional species information
Introduced Species Summary Project - Round Goby
Columbia University. Center for Environmental Research and Conservation.
Invasive Species Guide - Round Goby
University of Wisconsin Sea Grant.
Professional
Meet the Species - Round Goby

Invasive Species Centre (Ontario).

Citations