Body and behavior
The dorsal fin is reduced, beginning slightly ahead of the level of the anus, and numerous spots cover the tail. Adults are reported to spend the cold season buried in mud. The species is an obligate air-breather, so access to atmospheric air is part of its biology.
Sources: Ophichthys cuchia species summary
Food and nesting
Small fishes, tadpoles and aquatic insects form its principal reported foods. Males construct and guard a nest or burrow. That parental behavior is an important part of its reproductive account, distinct from the seasonal sheltering of adults in mud.
Sources: Ophichthys cuchia species summary
