It cannot be said that the “blonde” fish is a flashy fish, at least not while it is resting on the seabed. But when it moves, it extends its beautiful pectoral fins with rays of an intense electric blue color that amazes the eye.
It may seem strange that a fish is so concerned about being seen in a hostile environment. However, its strategy is precisely based on this point. When the blonde fish feels threatened by a predator, it spreads its fins. This not only surprises the hunter with its colorful appearance but also creates the unsettling impression that its prey has increased in size. This doubt is crucial for the blonde fish, which will suddenly accelerate, fold its fins, and blend into the sandy bottom, completely unnoticed due to its matching color. The predator will never know where that flashy prey went.
But the fins of the blonde fish have a second function that is no less important. The first three rays are free and slightly bent downward, resembling fingers of a hand gently touching the bottom as it passes by. These fins are part of an incredibly developed sensory system that allows the blonde fish to “feel” the bottom in search of its preferred food: mollusks and crustaceans.
Although it is a solitary creature, the blonde fish has a curiously developed swim bladder that enables it to emit vibrant sounds similar to a grunt. These sounds may be directly related to the search and locating of a mate for breeding.
With such a complex system for feeding and defending itself, the blonde fish is a calm creature that leisurely strolls along the seabed. If a diver were to move in the water a couple of meters above it, they could effortlessly follow its zigzagging movements, mesmerized by the beauty of its display and the delicacy of the gentle motions of a fish caressing the bottom, an angel that swims beneath the water.
“One cannot defend what one does not love, and one cannot love what one does not know.”