The Fire Fish (Nemateleotris magnifica) is also known as the Fire Dartfish or Red Fire Goby.

The Fire Fish has a bright yellow head, with a white body, and gradually merging into a red-orange tail. It has long dorsal fins (back fins). It flicks its dorsal fins back and forth.

Fire Fish

It measures about 9 centimetres (3 inches) long.

The Fire Fish is found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, Central Pacific, east African oceans, Japanese oceans, and near New Caledonia and the Pitcairn Islands.

It prefers reefs in tropical marine (saltwater) seas.

The Fire Fish eats plankton and crustacean (crab and shellfish) larvae.

Adults live in sandy burrows alone or in pairs, while the juveniles live in small groups. These fish are monogamous, having one mate for life.

Fire Fish

Fire Fish

Fire Fish

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM