Yellowfin Pigfish

Interesting Info

• The Yellowfin Pigfish occurs in Australia off the eastern seaboard from southeast Queensland through New South Wales to southeast Tasmania; it also occurs in New Zealand (North Island and the northern tip of the South Island).
• It is named for the vivid yellow colouring of its fins, especially the anal and pelvic fins which contrast with the darker body.
• The body is typically reddish to purplish brown with fine pale spotting, while the fins flash bright yellow when the fish is active.
• Juveniles look very different, being dark with bold white patches and a yellow tail, providing camouflage among rubble and coral.
• Males are more brightly coloured than females, with larger fins and more intense yellow markings during breeding season.
• Like many wrasses, the Yellowfin Pigfish is a protogynous hermaphrodite — all individuals begin life as females and some transform into males as they grow larger and establish territories.
• It feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates, including small molluscs, crustaceans and worms, which it hunts in rubble zones and coral crevices.
• Juveniles often act as cleaner fish, picking parasites from larger reef species until they transition to a benthic diet as adults.
• This pigfish is diurnal, active during the day and retreating to ledges or caves at night.
• Spawning occurs in small groups or pairs in the open water column, with fertilised eggs drifting until hatching.
• Its lifespan is not well documented, but similar-sized pigfishes are known to live around 6–8 years in the wild.
• Predators include reef sharks, large snappers and groupers, though adults are fast swimmers and stay close to cover.
• Divers and snorkellers may encounter this species on outer reef slopes, where its bright yellow fins stand out against coral backdrops.