It was a real treat to get a good picture of the Bluestriped Grunt here in Anguilla because they are not particularly common. In the Bahamas I used to see them everywhere, often congregating in reasonably good sized schools, but not here. I have yet to come up with a hypothesis for this as they are reported to be common across the Caribbean. Does anyone have any suggestions? Interestingly they get their name from the strange grunting sound that they can produce by using their air bladder to amplify the noise of their back teeth grinding.
In some parts of the Caribbean where they are common Bluestriped Grunts travel in large schools like their cousins, French Grunts, although in Anguilla they are usually seen on their own or in pairs. Their diet consists mainly of shrimp, worms, crustaceans and bivalves which they seem to graze on in quite a relaxed fashion, as the one pictured here is testament too, lazily drifting over the reef in no particular hurry. Fair enough.
Originally posted on Instagram @sea_anguilla with the text: Bluestriped Grunt limin’ on the reefs near Anguillita. This group of fish get their common name from the curious habit they have of grinding their teeth to produce a grunting sound which is amplified by their air bladder. Each to their own I guess.