Red Indian Fish

The Red Indian fish can reach a maximum length of 35cms. The ones I have seen have all been around 20-25cms. They range in colour from a scarlet, brick red to an orange colour. Sometimes they have black and/or white spots on them as well. The fish looks remarkably like a piece of sponge. The fish's dorsal fin stretches the entire length of its body and gives it the appearance of wearing a North American Indian chief's headdress. Therefore, the fish does indeed look like a Red Indian.

The Red Indianfish is only found in Australian waters, and it found from Moreton Bay in Queensland down to Durras in NSW and also from South Australia around to Shark Bay in Western Australia. Some of the books I read state that the Red Indian fish is found in deeper offshore waters, however most in Botany Bay are been between 10m-18m.

The Red Indianfish usually sits still on the bottom next to a piece of sponge that it resembles. When found it does not move, but remains still and motionless on the bottom. The Red Indian fish can swim but when it does it looks like a dead leaf sinking through the water.