| Firefish | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| General information | |||
| Universe | Torchlight | ||
| Classification | Gobioides ordeni | ||
| Species type | Dragon Goby | ||
| Homeworld | "Torchlight World" | ||
| Environment | Subterranean waterways within the Orden Mines | ||
| Intelligence | Non-Sapient | ||
| Biochemistry | Carbon-based lifeform | ||
| Biological information | |||
| Reproduction | Sexual; lays soft-bodied eggs | ||
| Average length | 2' (61cm) (presumed) | ||
| Locomotion | Powered Swimming | ||
| Feeding behavior | Herbivorous | ||
| Prey | Cave Algae | ||
| Predators | Humans, Dogs, Wild Cats | ||
| Distinctive features | Armored body | ||
| Eye color | Black | ||
| Skin color | Rusty red with golden fins | ||
| Lineage information | |||
| Ancestor(s) | Violet Goby | ||
| Cultural information | |||
| Alignment | True Neutral | ||
| Personality | Nearly-blind scavengers | ||
| Organization | Solitary, except during spawning | ||
| Sociocultral characteristics | |||
| Scientific taxonomy | |||
| Domain | Eukaryota | ||
| Kingdom | Animalia | ||
| Subkingdom | Eumetazoa | ||
| Infrakingdom | Bilateria | ||
| Superphylum | Deuterostomia | ||
| Phylum | Chordata | ||
| Subphylum | Vertebrata | ||
| Infraphylum | Gnathostomata | ||
| Superclass | Osteichthyes (Bony Fish) | ||
| Class | Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fish) | ||
| Subclass | Neopterygii (New-finned fish) | ||
| Infraclass | Teleostei (Teleosts) | ||
| Superorder | Acanthopterygii (Spiny-finned teleosts) | ||
| Order | Gobiiformes (Gobies) | ||
| Family | Oxudercidae (Mudskippers and closest relatives) | ||
| Subfamily | Gobionellinae | ||
| Genus | Gobioides (Dragon gobies) | ||
| Species | ordeni (Somarinoa, 2019) | ||
| Other information | |||
| Status | Vulnerable (presumed) | ||
Firefish are a species of dragon goby which are endemic to the subterranean waterways within the Orden Mines beneath the town of Torchlight, located within the Estherian Steppes on the continent of Vilderan.
Physiology[]
They have elongated, rusty red, eel-like bodies; however the dorsal and anal fin that normally would run nearly the entire length of their body has been reabsorbed. They have really sharp teeth which they use to scrape algae off of rocks. They may grow up around 2 feet (61cm) long.
Given their close relationship with the Violet Goby, they presumably are capable of surviving in fresh, marine, and brackish waters, despite only being found in cavernous waters. It may prefer muddy substrates over rocky ones.
Close proximity to such vast quantities of ember has imbued the species with transformative magical powers, and allow animals such as Dogs and Wild Cats to be temporarily transformed into a Fire Elemental.
Mating[]
Firefish are assumed to be mostly the same as their more typical counterparts when no obvious alterations have taken place, and as such it can be deferred that they spawn in groups of a single male to a harem of three or more females. They will eat meaty food before spawning is initiated, and the male will spawn with several females over the course of the day. The females lay their eggs and the male is left to protect them all at once. These eggs will hatch within 1½ - 2 days. Firefish fry may feed on Rotifers as well as algae for upwards of a month, at which point they would upgrade to feeding on brine shrimp larvae.
Ecology[]
Firefish live in the caverns beneath Orden Mines, where they use their small eyes to seek out algae on submerged rocks, either scooping up mouthfuls of gravel and sorting the material from the substrate before spitting the rocks back out or simply scraping algae off rocks with their teeth. Like their close relative the Violet Goby, they presumably have a small throat and very poor vision, yet require a varied diet. This likely makes them scavengers as well, and while algae is their primary diet they might feed on other vegetation or animal-based food sources, such as relatives of the Blood Worms, tubifex worms, brine shrimp, or vegetable bits, if they exist within their waters at all. They may be nocturnal, possibly because of or the reason for their poor eyesight though since they are troglobites, this also may mean that they can feed at any point of the day since it is usually dark.
Appearance[]
- Torchlight (First appearance)