Bullseye Wriggler

Interesting Info

• The Bullseye Wriggler is found widely across the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa through Southeast Asia to northern Australia and the Great Barrier Reef.
• Its body is slender and pale, marked with bold dark vertical bars and a distinctive large black “bullseye” spot at the base of the tail.
• The head is speckled with small reddish to brown spots, giving it a camouflaged look against reef rubble.
• They prefer shallow reef flats, lagoons, and sandy patches near coral rubble, where they can hide quickly if threatened.
• Bullseye Wrigglers are cryptic and fast-moving, darting into crevices or burying in sand when disturbed.
• They are carnivores, feeding on tiny crustaceans, worms, and other invertebrates picked from sand and rubble.
• These fish are often seen in pairs or small groups, hovering close to the reef bottom.
• Breeding is little studied, but they are likely to be egg-layers that deposit eggs on reef surfaces, with males guarding them until they hatch — similar to goby relatives.
• Divers and snorkellers can sometimes spot them tail flicking and wriggling near sandy channels, but they are easily overlooked due to their size and camouflage.
• The lifespan is not well documented, but similar small wriggler and goby species live 1–3 years.