Fivefinger Razorfish

Interesting Info

• The Fivefinger Razorfish, is a razor-thin wrasse with a leaf-like body, found across the Indo-Pacific, including northern Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, and offshore islands such as Christmas and Cocos (Keeling).
• The common name “Fivefinger” refers to the unusual arrangement of fin rays in the tall dorsal fin, which can look like an open hand when spread.
• Adults are pale brown, grey, or greenish with irregular blotches and a distinctive black spot behind the head, making them easy to recognise.
• Juveniles are famous mimics—they rock and sway like drifting leaves or debris in the water, helping them avoid predators until they grow larger.
• Like all razorfish, they have a sharp, steep forehead and tall body profile, which allows them to dive into sand almost instantly when frightened.
• Their favourite escape is a lightning-fast head-first dive straight into sand or rubble, where they bury themselves out of sight in seconds.
• They are active during the day, foraging for small invertebrates like shrimps, crabs, worms, snails, and molluscs across sandy reef flats and lagoons.
• At night, they bury themselves completely in sand to avoid nocturnal predators such as moray eels and snappers.
• Like many wrasses, they are protogynous hermaphrodites—born female, with some later changing to males as they grow larger and more dominant.
• Spawning occurs in pairs or small groups at dusk, with eggs released into the water column to drift away as plankton until hatching.
• They usually live around 5–7 years in the wild, a typical lifespan for medium-sized razorfishes.