Searching for the Elusive Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon Breeding in Northbrook Creek SEQ.

This time of the year the Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon are breeding so I thought I'd get a couple of friends together and go and search out some of their habitat in the pristine Northbook Creek in South East Queensland, a hot spot for them, in other parts of the country these fish were thought to be extinct but have slowly made a comeback with help from dedicated volunteer's, but in this part of the country they are quite common but still pretty elusive when it comes to finding them, so I thought I'd take you on this journey to see one of the hot spots so that you can witness some of their behaviour in the wild, I hope you enjoy this video, please like and subscribe for more videos like this, Thanks for watching.

[@brannonevans3685]

The older I get (57) the more i realize is, that life is not about all the things you can buy, and accumulate, but its all about living life, and experiencing different things. Give me a mask, fins, snorkel, and sometimes a wetsuit, a camera, and Im there. Im a freshwater natural biotope lover for sure. Love freshwater springs and clear freshwater creeks, rivers, and lakes. Keep the vids coming.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you.

[@KeepingFishSimple]

Great video, so cool to see in person. Put together beautifully !!

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! 🙂

[@phuckGoogle]

​ I swear you guys get around I was watching some random mud crabbing video and kaity Cichlids was in the background 😂

[@jasonnikolic]

You basically captured high end documentary quality footage. Bravo.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! this is one of my aims, we don't have enough wild footage, especially for Australian native fish.

[@berinasnaturestories]

The rocks are very beautiful with the combination of ferns. No one would ever guess there is so much life underwater. It took me a lot of years to appreciate water and its beauty. 3:53 is wonderful. 😂😂The snake. Blue is a very unique colour on fish. Several fish guarding their eggs, it is a wonderful sight to see. Fish makes the underwater more lively. I enjoyed watching this because it is so so clear. ☺🐟🐠

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! yes it is a beautiful place and we are lucky to have it so close to a big city, it is very special and relaxing just laying in the water looking at it's beauty 🙂

[@berinasnaturestories]

@@australianbiotopes4563 Yes it is.

[@footagemissing]

Another great video with awesome footage mate, thanks for sharing, we are very lucky to have it so close to home.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

We sure are, Thanks for watching!🙂

[@Dillonpickle]

Awesome to see underwater in SEQ, amazing aquascapes so close to home.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes that is one of the main reasons for me starting this channel, we have so many beautiful underwater habitats here and very little information on them, even local councils put up signs on birds and mammals but you never really see much signage on what's beneath the water, I think that's kind of sad really, if there was more awareness these places would be more popular and looked after a little bit more I think 🙂

[@rikdownunda]

This is brilliant. Thank you !!! I've just got a bigger tank for my gudgeons and wanted inspiration for the scaping. This is gold. It's going to be about the gudgeons. Everything else will be filling out their natural environment.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for watching, make sure you put plenty of places for them to hide so they can get away from each other, I did a biotope aquarium on them as well, if you look back through my videos if your interested.

[@rikdownunda]

@@australianbiotopes4563 Perhaps one breeding pair. I appreciate your advice. I mention you in my youtube. rikdownunda

[@rrotley1]

Another amazing video! Those waterscapes are so beautiful. Cannot begin to imagine the amount of time and effort you put into creating such works of art. Thank you.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you for watching, yes they take a bit to produce, for this short video there is about 4 trips and hours of filming to get a good 15 minutes but worth it in the end I think 🙂

[@jokervienna6433]

As usual, I did enjoy this video - you did it again, mate! Great footage of a wonderful place! I wish I had something similar just one hour away. Yes, there is Alte Donau quite close by and there are nice fish there, but nothing really suitable for the aquarium. Strangely enough, the most interesting fish around here comes from the aquarium hobby. It is the pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus). An introduced species, that doesn´t seem to do much harm. Along the Alte Donau there is actually a restaurant where you can get a decent meal and some cold ones, and watch the breeding. The males have their territories (about 1 sqm), guard the eggs and do some light fighting. The females just swim around and lay their eggs with whom they find nice. Quite a spectacle. Keep up with the good work! All the best from Austria!

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! great story, and thanks for watching 🙂

[@StowerScapes]

Beautiful footage as always mate, great to see our natives thrive in their natural habitats. I've been lucky enough to spot some purple spotted gudgeons breeding in the creek in our yard (Camerons creek, Mt Crosby) in the past!

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! yes we are lucky to have them so common around here.

[@GosperTYVS]

Thank you brother that was a stunning place from surrounding country to the aquatic wonderland !!! 🔥❤️‍🔥🔥😎👌🏼

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes it's a beautiful place, Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@simonsays9274]

This is so incredible to see them in the wild! Really quality footage and nice to see some strong eco systems in SE QLD still.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes it really is a great experience having the opportunity to go snorkelling with them, and seeing they are doing so well.

[@druspork7737]

Thanks for sharing. Special place so close to Brisbane.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for watching, yes we are lucky to have these little treasures.

[@mattkinsella9856]

Wow! That's some pro level filming and narration. Absolutely stunning. I just watched it on my phone and I'm about ro watch it again on my TV. For those of us in Europe, it'd be great to get some more info on the biotope, water temps, pH, TDS etc and how that changes through the year. I've seen a few ropey juveniles of these fish in shops here but didn't realise they end up looking this impressive. Massive thanks for creating and sharing this, really appreciated.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! yes I never bother or forget to take water parameters as the water id the same where I live, it's actually in the same catchment, but I forget others like you may want to know, I normally get so wrapped up in filming, they can live in a wide range though as the water changes so much from season to season, In future I will try and remember for you 🙂

[@nrledites7120]

What an interesting documentary, very relaxing to watch well done.👍

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you!

[@Vincent-kx9ze]

Extraordinary country. Beautiful video.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! 🙂

[@malcolmmcguire2876]

More great inspiration. Thanks for posting this and please keep them coming.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! I will as long as I can, they take a little while to film and produce but worth it in the end I think 🙂

[@klaeclipse]

Truly awesome video seeing something not many do! Thank you for sharing this 💜

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! even for me it's pretty exciting, these make for good memories 🙂

[@TheAbeKane]

It looks really cool, what a beautiful looking fish

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes it's pretty special to have these so close to where I live, a beautiful fish 🙂

[@IndoorEcosystem]

Some absolutely awesome shots in this one! The snake on the log was perfect! Always see a snake or two when you're out in the Australian bush.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks mate! no most might not even see a snake, yes if your lucky you might stumble across one every so often, but it can be rare, we are lucky because we go to remote spots.

[@IndoorEcosystem]

@@australianbiotopes4563 whenever I around water up north I always seem to stumble across decent sized red belly's. Beautiful snakes but quite intimidating

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@IndoorEcosystem Yes people like us will see them more often as we go exploring, red-bellies are one of my favourite snakes, I used to have one as a pet, they are mostly bluff but you may get the occasional aggressive one.

[@madaboutmilitaria3630]

Stunning fish and location, thanks for sharing.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you for watching! 🙂

[@missyoreilly4815]

Picked up a pair of these from an ANGFA meeting on the weekend. Stunning fish, but they are strong and fiery. If I was a rainbowfish I’d be vacating the area when they are brooding, too 😅 Also, the name they’ve given the rediscovered type ‘zombie’ seems very appropriate for the way they move. I’d be there watching them like are they dead? And then they’d zoom off suddenly.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes plus their eyes look like they just stare through you, but they are a very pretty fish for one of our natives colour wise.

[@dannywalker2744]

Jason these would be the best coloured or brightest SPSG I've ever had the pleasure of viewing Thanks

[@australianbiotopes4563]

No worries mate! 🙂

[@rowanwhite3520]

Always look forward to seeing your amazing videos! Thank you!

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! and thanks for watching 🙂

[@thewetwombat7726]

McCoys Creek in Bundaberg. About 15 years ago, chucked the pots in hoping for some crayfish. Not a single crayfish which was odd considering the nearby creeks were full of them. Pulled the pots up and we had pots full of these Gudgeons. Hope they are still thriving up there.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

They should be, they are really tough, they are really common in QLD. right up the coast but were thought to be extinct in the Murray Darling down south until they found a really small population of them, now they are breeding them up and returning them into all those waterways as well. They are such a smart fish like all the gudgeons, if you try and catch them once they seem to remember and are really sneaky after that, but their biggest downfall is their stomach, they love their food so the easiest way to catch them, even in my aquarium I use a small home made fish trap, they are always the first to go in🙂

[@freshbread1987]

I love this footage! Can't wait to binge all your videos now!

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you!

[@damian101085]

Wow, just Wow !!! ❤❤❤

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! and thanks for watching 🙂

[@damian101085]

@australianbiotopes4563 My pleasure, mate !!!

[@zamoranojesus88]

Love your videos, you truly share a lot of good information regarding the fish species ❤❤❤

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! I try and take the person watching on the journey with me without them having to get in that cold water 😃

[@AussieAquatic]

Stunning video mate, LIKE 210.........what is the cooler and warmer temperatures range along the gorge and watercourse during breeding season?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks mate! I've never bothered to check, but next time I go up I'll try and remember to do it, I do know you wouldn't keep fish at some of those temps. though, I've seen these gudgeons in winter and they can't move, you can just walk over and pick them up.

[@AussieAquatic]

@@australianbiotopes4563 that's fascinating, they go into a winter stupor.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@AussieAquatic Pretty much, but not by choice, I was talking to another mate the other day and we were talking about how in these colder areas we never see really big full grown fish like you would in a tank for instance, so a lot must perish in the wild with the harsh conditions.

[@Tupunaforever]

what a wonderful video, from New Zealand.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! 🙂

[@Tupunaforever]

@@australianbiotopes4563 I played it on mums Oled big screen, looked amazing, she loved it...

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@Tupunaforever My videos should look good on the big screen as they are all mostly filmed in 5k, it's just a shame when uploading them up onto here they get reduced to 4k, still good quality though.

[@snells-window]

Wonderful. Enjoyed every minute of the journey; thanks for sharing and taking us along. Stunning footage in gin clear water, and obviously a real inspiration for your biotopes

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks mate! yes after swimming with these for awhile in this habitat I though it would make for a nice aquarium setup, I've already done one on the lower parts but I like that rock work with the moss.

[@brannonevans3685]

Beautiful

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you!

[@Davidova]

Thanks for sharing. I haven't Mogurnda in my tanks, but I have Tateurndina occellicauda. I think the biotopes of these fish and their lifestyle are similar, as is their appearance

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for watching, yes similar, the only difference is the purple-spotted gudgeon is more of a predator where the peacocks are pretty easy going as tank mates for other fish, I wouldn't put fish in with the purple-spotted gudgeons smaller then them.

[@maryglover8283]

Gorgeous. Thank you.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@Chinco_NL]

I love your love for nature! Thanks for sharing.

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@hotcrew3]

thanks for the awesome video!😀😄

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@phuckGoogle]

Love to see longer versions that would be amazing i could help with editing if needed ill charge very little i just want to watch the content 😂

[@eionmark7424]

This is awesome. Keep them coming please mate. I have two mouth almighty’s, a freshwater crab I found in the Fitzroy and a sleepy cod if you need any inspiration 😅

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thanks mate! no I'm fine for now I have so many biotopes I have to do and trips coming up, I'm a bit overwhelmed with content at the moment, but Thanks! 🙂

[@Michael_Lane_Fishing]

Those gudgeons are something

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yes they are pretty cool! one of my favourite and most colourful local fish.

[@apisto9783]

Beautiful video

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Thank you! 🙂

[@sandrinakeffufal6008]

Wow amazing, I didn't know fish did this! What size do you estimate the males were that were guarding the eggs?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yeah pretty cool! The males can vary but an average of around 80 to 100mm, they are long lived and smart fish to so size and clutches of eggs will depend on age, I think they can live for around 10 to 15 years.

[@FernandoBranquinho-yx7sf]

Oi ​@@australianbiotopes4563

[@australianaquarist]

Nice one Jason Are the southerns in the hobby atm? Seems it would be a worthy breeding project , if they are in the hobby, and considering their threatened status?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Yeah they have been in the hobby for years, but like most natives aren't all that popular, they do have a breeding program for them down south where they are under threat but up here they are quite common, they were thought to be extinct in the Murray Darling but they where re discovered, now they are releasing more back into those areas.

[@australianaquarist]

⁠I’ll have to find out where they can be sourced

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@australianaquarist Just go to your local fish store and get them to order you some, they aren't expensive like most natives and easy to get.

[@andreasknogler585]

Are there rainbows aswell? The trifasciata maybe?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

There are rainbows in the video, Melanotaenia duboulayi are local to this area.

[@JayInOz1]

Another good one mate. Do you have a first name? :) Something you might be able to help me with- I'm in Central West N.S.W. My father used to be on a farm north east of my place, and there is a small river running through it which is the only water in the area that flows east probably two hundred and fifty hundred kilometres to the coast- contains mullet, eels and very rarely a bass. About twenty years ago I found a small number of little fish tucked into a narrow gap between the bottom and the overhanging bank. I have books on Australian native fish and these don't appear to be in there. They're only about three centimetres long with vertical black and white bands. They lay on the sand and when disturbed they swim forward just a foot or so and then drop back down and lay on the sand again. Who would I contact to find our more info on them? I suppose they could be a juvenile of something well known or could possibly be something more exiting. Advise me Oh Wise One :) Jay

[@australianbiotopes4563]

My name is Jason Sulda, they sound like they could be young Striped Gudgeon (Gobiomorphus australis), look them up and see if they look the same, or if you can get any pics, you could PM me on Facebook.

[@JayInOz1]

Thanks Jason. Nice to meet you :) I looked them up- not even close. These things have very distinct, vertical, black and white bands- not faint horizontal stripes. I'd love to get photos. I don't know who owns the farm now but I could probably find out- or just roll up to the house and tell them my tale:) Any more guesses? It's been years but I'm pretty sure my description is OK. @@australianbiotopes4563

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@JayInOz1 It can be hard to try and guess unfortunately, much easier with a photo or a some sort of drawing even, maybe try typing in the area and search for local fish of the area, I'd hate to say but it could even be something exotic, that could make it even harder, or a brackish species that could of made it's way up as a young fish, it does happen, it does have me thinking though, if I come up with anything I'll let you know.

[@JayInOz1]

Thanks mate. The two things that stood out about the fish was the really distinctive bands and the way it would shoot forward a foot or so and then just plop down flat on the sand. It's funny- I was only talking about that particular bit of river to a friend of mine a couple of days ago. I took my kids there when they were little and we were splashing around in a shallow muddy pool chasing carp. I felt a big, smooth shape under my foot and realised that it was a big turtle. I reached down and grabbed each side of the shell and said Hey kids look at this! And then I heaved the turtle up out of the water and held it upside down over my head. I don't know how long it had been dead, but all its legs fell off and a heap of black goop hit me in the face and ran down my chest. I was retching and gagging and spitting and the kids were laughing so hard I thought they were going to die. Ah- memories :) Jay.@@australianbiotopes4563

[@australianbiotopes4563]

@@JayInOz1 Mate it sounds like that would of stunk to, I hope you can find out what fish it was, if you do let me know, it sounds like some sort of goby or gudgeon from what you have said but who knows until you get a pic or see it in one.

[@domino77576]

Nice. What's the plant at 11:21?

[@australianbiotopes4563]

Nasturtium officinale or Watercress, it grows along the banks but after rains it gets inundated but can handle living submersed for some time in these fast flowing streams with a lot of C02.