Batfish

Photo: Albertini maridom · CC BY-NC

Disc-shaped, highly curious schooling fish that aggregate in the water column at cleaning stations and reef pinnacles. Batfish — most commonly orbicular or teira species — are striking for their vertical body shape, long trailing fins, and habit of approaching divers closely and holding position directly in front of masks. Juveniles mimic dead leaves or toxic flatworms for camouflage. Schools of adult batfish at cleaning stations are common on Indo-Pacific reefs and reliably produce close-range encounters. They feed on algae, invertebrates, and small zooplankton.