WTF? (WHAT’S THAT FISH) (9): THE HARLEQUIN BASS

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Harlequin Bass ©Melinda Riger @ G B Scuba copy

WTF? (WHAT’S THAT FISH) (9): THE HARLEQUIN BASS

I’m conscious of being rather unfair on this pretty dwarf bass species by including it in the WTF? series. The usual denizen of the series is a fish so strange that one’s immediate instinct is to yell into one’s facemask, “WTF?”. BATFISH or FROGFISH or GUITARFISH and their bizarre ilk. So with apologies to this species for its somewhat harsh classification, here are some quite flattering photos of it to make up for any hurt feelings.

Harlequin Bass Fish ©Melinda Riger @ G B Scuba copyHarlequin Bass (jpc what'sthatfish)

The Harlequin Bass Serranus tigrinus has unusually striking body markings and a rather endearing spotty tailfin. They are hardy creatures and I note that they are recommended aquarium fish “and make a great candidate for beginners”, though there are warnings that they are “semi-aggressive”. NB they are only a few inches long, so no need to panic.

Harlequin_Bass_Serranus_tigrinus wikiHarlequin_Bass_(Serranus_tigrinus) wiki

If you are still not confident that you can ID one in the wild, here is a short video… Actually I’m really including it to show how these fish swim around. And next time, I promise a truly eye-watering WTF? fish from Bahamian waters, though its camouflage is so good that you may never notice it…

Credits: Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba (1, 2); jpc/ what’s that fish; wiki

3 thoughts on “WTF? (WHAT’S THAT FISH) (9): THE HARLEQUIN BASS”

  1. Pingback: New silver boa constrictor species discovery in Bahamas | Dear Kitty. Some blog

  2. Hi RH — thanks so much for this comprehensive lesson on the harlequin bass. In the photos I thought it very beautiful, but I assumed it was a big fish. So your adding the video was helpful, because I learned it was only four inches long. And of course I always enjoy Melinda’s fantastic photography. The “WTF series” made me smile.

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