Soapfish
Rypticus saponaceus
Sighting evidence at Dragon Bay, Grenada
The greater soapfish takes its name from a mucus it secretes when stressed — grammistin — that is toxic to fish and highly deterrent to predators. It rests motionless on the Dragon Bay rubble and coral rubble slopes during the day, easily mistaken for a piece of encrusted rock. At night it hunts small sleeping fish. Its toxin-secreting capability makes it one of the few reef fish with a chemical rather than physical defence strategy.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Soapfish is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.