Fish
Sandsmelt
Parapercis robinsoni
A small, slender bottom-perched fish that props itself on sandy patches beside KZN reefs.
Also known as grubfish, robinson's grubfish
- Typical size
- Commonly 12-20 cm
- Habitat
- Sand and rubble beside reefs
- Depth
- About 5-50 m
The sandsmelt, or grubfish, is a small elongate fish with a pointed head and eyes set high, pale with rows of brownish bars or blotches along the flanks. It rests propped on its pelvic fins on open sand and rubble near reefs along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, darting off in short hops when disturbed.
It is an alert little predator that feeds on small crustaceans and other invertebrates picked from the seabed. Harmless and of no angling importance, it is a common sight for divers working sandy margins between reef patches.