Although it has 'normal' eyes, they are located to the top of the head, and the fish swims at the surface with the eyes above water. Usually imported quite small, these silvery fishes can grow to about 20 to 30 cms. Best kept in schools, single individuals rarely survive long. They are peaceful and very active, but apt to be bullied by territorial fishes like cichlids. Otherwise, like mullets in general, they are hardy and active fishes well suited to the large aquarium.
Mudskippers are gobies that have become adapted to an amphibious lifestyle.
They are common on tidal mudflats throughout tropical Africa, Asia and Australasia where they crawl about out of water feeding on small animals and algae. A number of mudskippers of the genus Periophthalmus and Boleophthalmus are seen from time to time, but it is the common mudskipper Periophthalmus barbatus that is the most frequently imported. Although hardy, it does require very specialised quarters to do well. A mudskipper tank needs to have both a shallow water area and some gently sloping sand or rocks on which the mudskippers can climb out and feed. The ideal tank would be quite long and tall.