Stargazer Fish Disappears Into the Sand—Then Strikes

Some fish change colors to blend in with their environment, but the stargazer fish has a different camouflaging technique. It goes from swimming to burying itself in the sand at the bottom of the ocean. (Talk about a cool way to hide from enemies!)

A video of a stargazer fish has gone viral because it’s fascinating to see this bottom-dwelling creature in action. YouTuber @Nemodahab shared a video of this cool fish, which uses its fins to dig a small hole to hide its body in. It opens and closes its mouth to help its body wiggle down into the sand, leaving only the top of its head and eyes visible. It’s incredible how quickly it can practically disappear under the sand!

This video captures the stargazer fish’s unique ability to bury itself in the ocean floor, using its special features to help it expertly blend in. It’s such a cool look at this fish, which usually lives a solitary life and isn’t easy to spot, even while scuba diving, because it’s so good at hiding.

What Are Stargazer Fish?

Stargazer fish are part of the Uranoscopidae family, of which there are 50 species in shallow and deep saltwater around the world. These solitary fish have eyes on top of their heads, and many species of stargazers have an organ that helps protect them from predators by delivering electric shocks. Many stargazer fish species are venomous, possessing spines that help deter predators, but not all species have venom.

Burying themselves in the sand is a unique behavior that allows stargazer fish to camouflage themselves while waiting for prey or hiding from predators. Its brown body with white speckles allows it to blend in with the environment. When this fish looks up from the sand with its wild eyes, it resembles something from a movie set — why does it feel like Indiana Jones would be scared of a stargazer? — or a creature from your nightmares. If you are a crustacean, crab, or small fish, encountering a stargazer fish would actually be a nightmare, as these are the types of prey stargazers hunt.

Nature’s Shovels

While fins are typically used for swimming, a stargazer fish’s pectoral fins also serve as mini shovels to help it quickly bury itself in the ocean floor. Because the stargazer’s eyes, gill slits, nostrils, and mouth are located on top of its head, it can comfortably hide in the sand and wait to trap unsuspecting prey. It even has a protective fringe along its nostrils and nose to prevent sand from entering while it is buried. If you’ve ever had a picnic on the beach, you know how annoying it is to breathe or eat sand! When it is time to eat, the stargazer opens its mouth to catch prey. When a small fish or crab gets close enough, the stargazer will generate a vacuum with its big mouth to suction up its dinner.

Stargazer fish typically measure 8-22 inches long, and while most species are much lighter, the largest members of the family can reach up to about 20 pounds.

To reproduce, stargazer fish lay eggs in the mud at the bottom of the ocean. These eggs float to the surface before hatching, and the larvae grow in the water column after hatching. The exact age at which stargazer fish reach sexual maturity is not well documented, but some experts estimate that the young are able to spawn about 4-8 months after hatching. Some stargazer species are reported to live about 5-6 years, though lifespan can vary and is not well documented for all species.

What to Know When Scuba Diving

If you happen across a stargazer fish in the wild, it’s best to stay clear of them. After all, stargazers can deliver electric shocks of up to 50 volts, per Texas Parks and Wildlife, so you do not want to mess with them. These fish also have venomous spines that act as a defense mechanism. Stargazers have also bitten divers who get too close, although in general, they will leave divers alone. Still, you should definitely avoid disturbing stargazers for your own safety.

Most Common Types of Stargazer Fish

The stargazer fish in the YouTube video above is a Uranoscopus dollfusi. Their name comes from Greek, with Uranoscopidae meaning “sky” and “to watch,” and Astroscopus meaning “star,” due to their eyes pointing directly up at the sky. Stargazer fish can be found in parts of the western Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Australia. They are considered a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, although the exact population size is unknown.

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