Rainbow Monocle Bream

Interesting Info

• The Rainbow Monocle Bream (Scolopsis monogramma) is a colourful reef fish known for the pale mask-like patch on its face — like it’s wearing goggles!
• In Australia it is found on the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Torres Strait, and across northern coastal reefs of WA and the NT.
• Globally it ranges widely across the Indo–West Pacific — from the Red Sea and East Africa across to Japan, Micronesia, and the central Pacific islands.
• Its body can show soft colours of yellow, pink, blue, and silver — giving it a gentle “rainbow shimmer” when the sunlight hits the scales.
• A pale band crosses the face like a monocle or mask, which is where all monocle breams get their name.
• They prefer sandy patches around coral reefs, where they can quickly dart into burrows or coral shelters when threatened.
• They feed on tiny creatures in the sand — such as shrimps, worms, and small crabs — using quick pecks and short bursts of digging.
• Rainbow Monocle Breams often forage in small groups, especially along the edges of coral heads where sand meets structure.
• Spawning occurs in groups during warmer months on outer reef slopes, where males display brighter colours and perform short “zig-zag dances” to attract females.
• Eggs and larvae drift freely in the open water before young fish settle into calm lagoon nurseries.
• Their lifespan is estimated at around 5–7 years in the wild.
• They use quick “freeze-and-flick” movements to avoid predators — stopping suddenly to blend in, then sprinting away.