Fish Active during the day

Midas Combtooth Blenny

Ecsenius midas

iNaturalist Wikipedia

A shimmering streak of gold in the tropical current, the Midas Combtooth Blenny is the reef's most famous social mimic. Watch for its graceful lyretail as it dances among schools of Anthias, blending in perfectly with the crowd.

0 Sightings

0 Habitats

Quick Identification

straighten

Size

Typically grows to 10-13 cm (4-5 inches) in length.

palette

Colors

Brilliant golden-yellow to deep orange body; often features a subtle blue or purple shadow or ring around the eyes and a dark spot near the vent.

visibility

Key Features

Deeply forked lyre-shaped tail
Elongated, eel-like body profile compared to other blennies
Constant 'waving' swimming motion
Large, expressive eyes with blue accents

When You’ll See Them

schedule

Activity pattern Active during the day

brightness_5

Peak hours 10 AM - 4 PM

calendar_month

Season Year-round

restaurant

Diet Primarily a planktivore that feeds on zooplankton drifting in the current, though it also grazes on microalgae and detritus found on reef surfaces.

park

Habitat Clear, current-swept coral reefs, lagoons, and seaward reef slopes.

public Geographic range

Where Does the Midas Combtooth Blenny Live?

Native to the vibrant tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, the Midas Combtooth Blenny enjoys a vast distribution. Its presence stretches from the Red Sea and the eastern coast of Africa across to the Marquesas Islands, encompassing the waters of the Maldives, Indonesia, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This species is a hallmark of healthy coral ecosystems throughout the Indo-Central Pacific.

Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors

8 Countries

45M km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

ID Indonesia

Marginal

Maldives

Marginal

PH Philippines

Marginal

AU Australia

Marginal

Egypt

Marginal

eco

iNaturalist / Verified observation data

View on iNaturalist open_in_new

Explore more Fish arrow_forward

Behavior

The Midas Combtooth Blenny is a charismatic reef inhabitant known for its unusual social behavior. Unlike most blennies that spend their time perched on rocks or hiding in crevices, the Midas Blenny is a confident swimmer that frequently ventures into the open water column. It is a classic example of a social mimic; it often joins schools of Lyretail Anthias (Pseudanthias squamipinnis), blending in with their similar coloration and shape to reduce its individual risk of predation.

In a reef environment, these fish are semi-territorial but generally peaceful. They claim small holes or abandoned worm tubes as their 'home base,' backing into them tail-first when threatened or when retreating for the night. They exhibit a charming 'bobbing' or 'weaving' swimming style that makes them easily identifiable even from a distance. While they are social with other species, they can be territorial toward other blennies with similar body shapes.

photo_camera EverydayEarth exclusive

Camera Tips

Capturing the Midas Combtooth Blenny requires an underwater setup, such as a waterproof action camera or a specialized reef-cam housing. Because these fish are planktivores that feed in the current, place your camera near a 'cleaning station' or a coral head where you see schools of orange Anthias gathering. The Midas Blenny will likely be mixed in with them, swimming a few inches above the substrate to catch passing food.

For the best shots, identify their 'bolt hole'—the specific crevice or tube they retreat to when startled. Position your camera on a small tripod or weighted mount about 12-18 inches away from this hole, angled slightly upward to catch the light filtering through the water. Patience is key; once the fish feels the 'predator' (you) has left, it will emerge tail-first and begin its characteristic dancing motion in front of the lens.

High frame rates (60fps or higher) are essential for this species because their swimming motion is fluid and rapid. If you are using an AI-powered underwater camera, set the trigger sensitivity to high, as their slender profile can sometimes be missed against a busy reef background. Mid-day offers the best natural lighting to bring out the brilliant 'Midas' gold and the electric blue highlights around their eyes.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Midas Combtooth Blenny.

Sea Goldie (Lyretail Anthias)

The Anthias has a deeper body and lacks the blenny's continuous dorsal fin and eel-like swimming motion.

Bicolor Blenny

Half-orange and half-dark blue/black, the Bicolor Blenny stays much closer to the rocks and lacks the Midas's lyre-shaped tail.

Browse all Fish arrow_forward

Frequently Asked Questions

Midas Combtooth Blennies are strictly diurnal, meaning they are active during daylight hours. They emerge shortly after sunrise to feed on plankton and retreat into their rocky burrows at dusk to sleep.

In the wild, you cannot easily bait them, but you can find them by looking for 'current hotspots' on a reef. Position your camera near a large Porites coral or a patch of sea fans where Lyretail Anthias are congregating, as Midas Blennies almost always join these groups.

In their natural habitat, they are primarily planktivores, picking tiny zooplankton out of the water column. They also occasionally graze on algae growing on the rocks around their burrow.

No, they are marine fish found exclusively on tropical coral reefs. However, they are very popular in the saltwater aquarium hobby, where they are often kept in 'home reefs' in suburban households.

Look at the swimming style and the dorsal fin. The Midas Blenny has a long, continuous dorsal fin and swims with an eel-like undulating motion, whereas the Anthias has a more traditional fish shape and uses its pectoral fins for darting movements.

Record Midas Combtooth Blenny at your habitat

Connect a camera to start building your own species record — AI identifies every visitor automatically.

Join free Identify a photo