Why do Assessors swim upside down?

[ellebelle]

So thanks to HOF, I finally have a little yellow assessor (that tried to bite my firefish before eventually retreating to the rockwork hopefully to be seen again someday).

When he was in the tank at the swap, many of you might have noticed him swimming drunkenly around upside down.

Why do they do this? Does it have to do with their swim bladders?

 

[Deanos]

Not the swim bladders, but personal preference since they typically inhabit caves & ledges.

Bet You'll Love These Bettas

 

[daisy]

ellebelle -- you just have a confused fish... j/k

-- Russ and i were trying to think up possible reasons that this particular fish was swimming upside down... but they all seemed so silly that we were content to say, ~this~ fish is a happy upside-down-swimming fish!

hey - at least think about this- when you try to net him, he probalby won't jump out of the tank, but rather, dart for the bottom!!! (is that better?... hmmmmm....)

enjoy him!

was great meeting you today!

-tahl

 

[ReeferGoneMad]

Because they smoke live rocks. Lol

 

[alrha]

he he, just be ready to explain to all your guests that he is NOT dead.

 

[drperetz]

...

I thought this fish was a Midas Blenny?

 

[ellebelle]

No, it's a yellow assessor (Assessor flavissimus)

Assessor

blurry photo of my Midas Blenny.

The assessor is a much purer yellow color as opposed to the changeable (but somewhat pink coloration) of some of the midas blennies. Also, the midas blenny has a continuous dorsal fin whereas the assessor has a shortened fin. Midas blennies (and blennies in general) have a swimming motion similar to an eel whereas the assessors use their fins for propulsion.