photo: Copyright holder: Brian Mayes, © All Rights Reserved
photo: Tobias Bernhard
photo: Melissa Fiene
photo: Malcolm Nobbs
photo: Simon Franicevic
Habitat: New South Wales, Australia and New Zealand
Status: Not Evaluated
Check out this Golden Crested Weedfish (Cristiceps aurantiacus)… if you can even spot it! It blends in so well with its seaweedy environment that it’s almost impossible to see in the wild. Gotta have a keen eye and quick shutter speed as this guy is constantly drifting in and out of seaweed so that it looks like its entirely part of the plant itself. It’s fins even look like they have roots growing out of them (which actually allow it to grab on to the flowing seaweed).
It’s also got a bit of a cockatoo vibe going on with that big crest on top of its head. Makes it look like it has a big leaf growing out of it! Seriously, this guy is one of the best camouflaged creatures I’ve ever seen.
This is the only video I could find of one on the web… it’s pretty quick but you can at least check out the fish’s movement:
