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The Carpet eel-blenny is common on the coral rubble area. Occasionally,
it may be seen in the seagrass lagoon. Although it can be quite large,
it is often overlooked.
Hidden carpet: The long, narrow
body of the fish allows it to squirm into narrow spaces and hide in
crevices. Its floral markings add to its camouflage. It can also change
its colours.
Eel-blenny food: The Carpet eel-blenny
preys on small fish, crabs and prawns. It usually hunts alone.
The Carpet eel-blenny is a member of the family Pseudochromidae (also
called Dottybacks). Many of the other members of the family are totally
un-eel-like. They are smaller and shorter (about 10cm long or less),
and some are very colourful.
Status and threats: The Carpet
eel-blenny is harvested from the wild for the live aquarium trade.
Although they are not among the most popular in the trade, these fish
are offered for sale. Other Dottybacks are more popular in the aquarium
trade. Harvesting may involve the use of cyanide or blasting, which
damage the habitat and kill many other creatures. Like other fish
and creatures harvested from the sea, most die before they can reach
the retailers. Without professional care, most die soon after they
are sold. Those that do survive are unlikely to breed successfully.
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Sometimes, a green
carpet eel-blenny
may be seen
This carpet eel-blenny has just caught
a fish!
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Links
Carpet
eel-blenny from FishBase: Technical
fact sheet on the fish.
Other references
- Lim, Kelvin K.
P. & Jeffrey K. Y. Low, 1998. A Guide to the Common Marine Fishes
of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre. 163 pp. online
version
- Lim, S., P. Ng,
L. Tan, & W. Y. Chin, 1994. Rhythm of the Sea: The Life and Times
of Labrador Beach. Division of Biology, School of Science, Nanyang
Technological University & Department of Zoology, the National University
of Singapore. 160 pp.
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