Proud to tell you that we have recorded a new fish for El Hierro!
Yes, it is a type of perl fish, carapus acus, commonly known in Canaries as “Rubioca”.
This fish, as well as being very vulnerable, is very peculiar, as to hide from its predators has chosen to get inside the holothurians (sea cucumbers)!
Yes, he gets into the sea cucumber through the hole it uses to take out the filtered food (the anus) and remains inside this long periods of time, leaving it s hiding only to feed. Once satisfied, gets back hiding into to the sfaety of its cucumber, so it is very difficult to spot.
And as the sea cucumber has no predators, it becomes a very good shelter!
Although they knew of its existence in the Canary Islands, this Rubioca was not registered yet in El Hierro, but from this photo, taken on the 5th of August 2014 by our instructor Carlos Valenzuela, it is now.
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