This cute little square bloop is a young smooth trunkfish. When they are babies, they are appropriately called “dice fish.” They do grow out of that squarish, dicey shape when they grow up. But they still manage to maintain some of that charming angularity.
Smooth trunkfish can be found in and around coral reefs and above sandy seafloors in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the western Atlantic Ocean with a range that spans from Canada all the way to Brazil.
The beautiful and angular fish can get as large as 19 inches long, although on average it grows to about 8 inches. They generally prefer to swim solo, but can sometimes be found in small groups. Using a jet stream of water that it shoots from its lips, the smooth trunkfish blows away sand to uncover buried invertebrates as it searches for a meal. It’s primary predators are large carnivorous fish such as mahi mahi, cobia and sharks, although in some Caribbean islands they are eaten by people too. However, care must be taken in handling and preparing them, as they will secrete a toxin when threatened, which can be deadly to humans. It is for this reason that they are a challenging pet, as they have been known to poison an entire aquarium population with their skin secretions when not kept stress-free at all times.
The source for today’s gif is below.
That babby fish looks so carefree.
"Seven come eleven, Daddy's looking for a winner -- roll them bones!"