ocellated dragonet

Synchiropus ocellatus  – the “Ocellated dragonet” (or “Scooter Blenny”) is one of my favorite marine fish. A couple of months ago, not-so-little Elvis began a nightly ritual: swimming back and forth, up and down, along the surface of the water. He did it for hours on end, starting just after sunset and continuing until the tank lights went out for the night. After a little research, I realized he was trying to find a mate; in the wild, male blennies “dance” near the surface to advertise their availability to females in the area.  Unfortunately for Elvis, no female was going to wander into his territory