The painted goby (Pomatoschistus pictus) is a small goby of Western European waters from Trondheim Fjord to Spain, the Canary Islands and is sometimes reported in the Mediterranean Sea.

[3] It lives at depths from 1 to 55 metres (3.3 to 180.4 ft), preferring a gravelly or sandy environment.

The painted goby is a relatively small goby, only growing to 6 cm in length, although some may grow to 9.5 cm.

It is fawn-brown, with a row of four double dark brown spots along the sides.

The dorsal fin has rows of dark brown-black spots interspersed with bands of iridescent blue and pink.