Cryptic Fiish
A Guide to Spotting Cryptic Fish While Diving in Cape Town
TEXT & PHOTOs BY Ofek Liepaz
SOME DIVERS PREFER THE FEELING OF EFFORTLESSLY GLIDING THROUGH THE WATER, taking in the larger fish and the sheer abundance of life that the underwater world has to offer. Others, like myself, approach each dive as a treasure hunt, eager to uncover the more elusive species that inhabit our oceans. It’s incredibly rewarding to work toward sightings, and finding marine life unseen by most people can give diving an entirely new meaning.
If you want to spot cryptic creatures on your dives, here are some tips to keep in mind:
TEXT & PHOTOs BY Ofek Liepaz
SOME DIVERS PREFER THE FEELING OF EFFORTLESSLY GLIDING THROUGH THE WATER, taking in the larger fish and the sheer abundance of life that the underwater world has to offer. Others, like myself, approach each dive as a treasure hunt, eager to uncover the more elusive species that inhabit our oceans. It’s incredibly rewarding to work toward sightings, and finding marine life unseen by most people can give diving an entirely new meaning.
If you want to spot cryptic creatures on your dives, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Know what you’re looking for and look at photos beforehand. Having an idea of what various creatures look like is a great way to identify their shape and colour among the reef.
- Familiarise yourself with the behaviour of your subject. Learn about any potential symbiotic relationships, what food they tend to eat, or where they like to hide.
- Dive slowly and look closely. Many of the ocean’s inhabitants hide in plain sight. All you need to do is take the time to look a little closer.
- Use a torch to bring back colour and enhance contrast. This is also essential for taking good photographs of your discoveries. It’s recommended to use a red light for more skittish subjects, as they cannot see the red light frequency at depth.
- Remain patient. Many creatures can be startled by sudden movements. Approach them slowly to increase the likelihood of a longer encounter.
6. Respect the environment and ensure your buoyancy is in check to avoid damaging the reef or harming any marine life.
False Bay is home to over 200 species of fish. Many of them seem to find you on your dives. With others, you need to be in the right place at the right time.
Fish like the two-eyed blenny, Cape triplefin blenny, and the smooth-skin scorpionfish are surprisingly more common than one might think. You just need to know where to look, and this article shares some of my secrets for finding them.
Two-Eyed Blenny (Chalaroderma ocellata)
The two-eyed blenny reaches a maximum length of around 7 cm. You’ll sometimes find them darting around the reef, but generally, these fish are quite territorial and prefer to stay close to their homes. They like to inhabit various holes and crevices on the reef, with their go-to hiding spots being empty worm tubes. This is a great place to look if you want to find these fish, and if you’re really lucky, you’ll even spot a blenny fiercely guarding its eggs along the walls of the tube.
When looking for two-eyed blennies, a good first step is to find steep, vertical walls on deeper reefs. Then, look out for worm tubes, and see if you can spot any small faces peeking out at you.
It’s worth noting that while these worm tubes are naturally white, they often get encrusted by various sponges, so be sure to watch for the tube’s opening! Two-eyed blennies can also be found hiding in other small crevices, so do keep an eye out for their distinctive faces when exploring the nooks and crannies of the reef.
False Bay is home to over 200 species of fish. Many of them seem to find you on your dives. With others, you need to be in the right place at the right time.
Fish like the two-eyed blenny, Cape triplefin blenny, and the smooth-skin scorpionfish are surprisingly more common than one might think. You just need to know where to look, and this article shares some of my secrets for finding them.
Two-Eyed Blenny (Chalaroderma ocellata)
The two-eyed blenny reaches a maximum length of around 7 cm. You’ll sometimes find them darting around the reef, but generally, these fish are quite territorial and prefer to stay close to their homes. They like to inhabit various holes and crevices on the reef, with their go-to hiding spots being empty worm tubes. This is a great place to look if you want to find these fish, and if you’re really lucky, you’ll even spot a blenny fiercely guarding its eggs along the walls of the tube.
When looking for two-eyed blennies, a good first step is to find steep, vertical walls on deeper reefs. Then, look out for worm tubes, and see if you can spot any small faces peeking out at you.
It’s worth noting that while these worm tubes are naturally white, they often get encrusted by various sponges, so be sure to watch for the tube’s opening! Two-eyed blennies can also be found hiding in other small crevices, so do keep an eye out for their distinctive faces when exploring the nooks and crannies of the reef.
When first approached, blennies will usually retreat into their hideout, but thankfully, they are naturally curious fish. If you wait and remain still, they will almost always pop their heads out to investigate you.
Smooth-Skin Scorpionfish (Coccotropsis gymnoderma)
Most people associate scorpionfish with the large ambush predator found in tropical waters. However, the waters of Cape Town are home to a significantly smaller, distant relative. Much like their larger tropical counterparts, these fish are highly venomous and have a sting that is said to be extremely painful. Thankfully, they are incredibly docile, and about the same size as your pinkie finger, meaning that the only real risk would be if you were to grab one with your bare hand, which is something you should never do with any fish, in any case.
Smooth-skin scorpionfish are generally found at the intersection of the reef and sand. They are usually spotted in the first 1-2 meters of reef or in the nearby sand area, among the substrate and empty mussel shells at depths of 10 meters or deeper.
They can also be seen tucked against the reef alongside invertebrates like sea cucumbers and feather stars.
To find them, look for a small, elongated teardrop shape with colours and patterns that are slightly brighter than their
Smooth-Skin Scorpionfish (Coccotropsis gymnoderma)
Most people associate scorpionfish with the large ambush predator found in tropical waters. However, the waters of Cape Town are home to a significantly smaller, distant relative. Much like their larger tropical counterparts, these fish are highly venomous and have a sting that is said to be extremely painful. Thankfully, they are incredibly docile, and about the same size as your pinkie finger, meaning that the only real risk would be if you were to grab one with your bare hand, which is something you should never do with any fish, in any case.
Smooth-skin scorpionfish are generally found at the intersection of the reef and sand. They are usually spotted in the first 1-2 meters of reef or in the nearby sand area, among the substrate and empty mussel shells at depths of 10 meters or deeper.
They can also be seen tucked against the reef alongside invertebrates like sea cucumbers and feather stars.
To find them, look for a small, elongated teardrop shape with colours and patterns that are slightly brighter than their
surroundings. A torch is essential for spotting them, as the added light brings out the orange and brown colouring of their skin, making them easier to spot.
Cape Triplefin Blenny (Cremnochorites capensis)
This little fish can be found on almost every reef in Cape Town but is easily overlooked due to its remarkable ability to blend into the seascape.
They can blend in so well that I sometimes only spot them on my computer screen, hidden in plain sight in the background of photos I’ve taken of other subjects! These fish are frequently found nestled among the invertebrates that encrust Cape Town’s reefs. To spot a Cape triplefin, look closely among strawberry anemones, sea cucumbers, sponges, and crinoids, and watch for striking patterns and round, curious eyes. They generally like to stay anchored to the reef, which also makes them very fun fish to photograph up close!
Closing Remarks
Diving in search of small, well-hidden subjects is an incredibly fun and rewarding way to dive. It might be a bit frustrating if you don’t spot what you’re looking for at first, but don’t get disheartened! This just means that when you do eventually spot that blenny or scorpionfish, it becomes all-the-more special. Finding these creatures does require a trained eye, meaning that the more time you spend looking in the right places, the more regularly you’ll start to find these exciting cryptic fish!
Connect With Ofek
INSTAGRAM: @underwater_ofek
WEB: www.ofekliepaz.myportfolio.com
Cape Triplefin Blenny (Cremnochorites capensis)
This little fish can be found on almost every reef in Cape Town but is easily overlooked due to its remarkable ability to blend into the seascape.
They can blend in so well that I sometimes only spot them on my computer screen, hidden in plain sight in the background of photos I’ve taken of other subjects! These fish are frequently found nestled among the invertebrates that encrust Cape Town’s reefs. To spot a Cape triplefin, look closely among strawberry anemones, sea cucumbers, sponges, and crinoids, and watch for striking patterns and round, curious eyes. They generally like to stay anchored to the reef, which also makes them very fun fish to photograph up close!
Closing Remarks
Diving in search of small, well-hidden subjects is an incredibly fun and rewarding way to dive. It might be a bit frustrating if you don’t spot what you’re looking for at first, but don’t get disheartened! This just means that when you do eventually spot that blenny or scorpionfish, it becomes all-the-more special. Finding these creatures does require a trained eye, meaning that the more time you spend looking in the right places, the more regularly you’ll start to find these exciting cryptic fish!
Connect With Ofek
INSTAGRAM: @underwater_ofek
WEB: www.ofekliepaz.myportfolio.com
Posted in Alert Diver Southern Africa, Smart Guides, Underwater Photography
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