Scorpion Fish

[DrSteve]

I was lucky enough to see a lot of scorpion fish in Bonaire and able to get up very close. It sparked a few questions:
1. Why are their pectoral fins so colourful, but the rest of them is so camouflaged? I am guessing this is because they tuck their pec fins away when resting and as such they don't get a chance to become camouflaged
2. Is the camouflage natural and part of the fish, or does the fish encourage the algae and other gunk to grown on it by some chemical means/hospitable "skin". I can't imagine that even with the fishes limited movement the growth can be entirely natural.

Thanks!

 

[Santa]

I was lucky enough to see a lot of scorpion fish in Bonaire and able to get up very close. It sparked a few questions:
1. Why are their pectoral fins so colourful, but the rest of them is so camouflaged? I am guessing this is because they tuck their pec fins away when resting and as such they don't get a chance to become camouflaged
2. Is the camouflage natural and part of the fish, or does the fish encourage the algae and other gunk to grown on it by some chemical means/hospitable "skin". I can't imagine that even with the fishes limited movement the growth can be entirely natural.

Thanks!

It think it's all natural but don't listen to me. For the longest time I thought they came in all sorts of colours, and logged them enthusiastically. After some 50 dives I sort of dawned on me that they simply change colour, with the surroundings. Duh.

Santa.

 

[Damselfish]

I always assumed the colorful part of the fins, which aren't seen most of the time, are a way to show off for mates. With a usually hidden part being colorful they can stay camoflaged normally but show off sometimes too. I am purely speculating.

 

[SueMermaid]

I have seen scorpion fish fighting for territory, (In Bonaire, if I recall correctly!) and they were displaying their purple fins at each other.

 

[DrSteve]

Well if anyone is interested I spoke to someone at our local Aquarium/Marine Science Museum and she gave me some info...
1. The coloured fins could be used as a dominance/distraction tactic
2. As they are so well camouflaged they could equally be used to attract the beautiful lady scorpion fish
3. Scorpion fish "skin" is full of folds which tend to trap algae from the reef, on the slime layer as it hops from place to place
4. Scorpion fish have a couple of protrusions under their pectoral fins which they can "walk" with and use to wedgde themselves into position in the reef.

 

[herman]

This guy sure had stuff growing on him..come to think of it I never did get any reaction out of him at all. Guess a non rolling stone(fish) does gather moss.

Curacao July 05

 

[ch0ppersrule]

Plenty of scorpionfish here in Hawaii also. I haven't seen the purple one's only orange/red. They are very pretty when they show them. I also thought it was to attract a mate. How do you tell which sex they are?

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

I thought I'd read somewhere the bright colors on the pectoral fins were to warn other predators once the mushroom scorpion fish has its camoflauge blown, and it has to swim, that's its spiny and poisonous, so BACK OFF! I can't seem to locate it now though - too many books in boxes still after our recent relocation. Seems to me it was in one of the Audobon guidebooks.