How to Identify a Diamond Blenny Fish

Video Transcript

"The marine organism we're going to identify now is the Diamond Blenny. The next time you're exploring a coral reef and you see a tiny yellow headed fish perched on a coral head, you've probably just seen a diamond blenny. Diamond blenny's are between an inch and a half to two and a half inches long. They are long slender fish that can be easily identified by the dark spot on its dorsal fin that is usually ringed in yellow. In addition, diamond blenny's have a series of dark triangular shape markings that start at their back and point down their sides. Frequently, however, the pointy bottoms of these markings will be difficult to see, as they can fade quickly. Their sides are generally white or light tanned in modeled. The heads of most diamond blenny's are a bright yellow or gold color. The dorsal fin is clear except for the oscillated spot. Diamond blenny's are generally found perched on or near a coral head. They will be resting on their elongated ventral fins and their tail. They generally move across the reef in little hops, during which they barely rise above the surface of the coral. They can also be found living in or near anemones and will take refuge in the anemone if threatened, apparently unaffected by the anemones stinging cells. Diamond blenny's are generally not afraid of divers or snorkelers. If you get too close for the comfort, however, they will simply swim a short distance away and turn around to watch you again. Male and female diamond blenny's have slightly different color patterns. Males are generally a light brown and finely spotted with white blotches and with dark edged brown upper diamonds whereas the females have brownish orange diamonds, instead of dark brown but I have to admit, I have yet to successfully differentiate a male from a female. Diamond blenny's are egg laying fish. Females enter a male's territory to lay eggs, which the male then fertilizes and guards until they hatch. Upon hatching, the fry swim to the surface where they drift with the current, feeding on plankton, until large enough to settle on a new home on the bottom. Diamond blenny's are found occasionally on the reef's of the Caribbean but have not been reported in the waters around Florida. They can be found on shallow reefs all the way down to the maximum safe depth limits for recreational divers. That's the diamond blenny."