Blenny more fish in the sea
Great Britain is surrounded by water and there are some amazing characters swimming around under the sea
THE tompot blenny is quite a character – this small, feisty fish is found around the UK coast has become a firm favourite of marine biologist and underwater photographer Paul Naylor.
In his book, Great British Marine Animals, Paul introduces more than 40 of the tompot blennies that live on the Devon reef where he regularly dives. He knows each and every one by their markings and has even given them all names (beginning with B of course…).
Where did you photograph your first tompot blenny?
Near Plymouth in Devon over 30 years ago, so my interest in them has lasted a long time. The more you watch and study them, the more amazing things you discover and the more interesting they become.
It is great to watch how such a small fish is brave enough to chase away bigger animals from its territory. A newspaper once called them ‘the small fish with a big personality’ which I think is spot-on.
What do they eat?
They eat lots of different things including small shrimps and crabs, sea anemones, worms and seaweed.
When the males are guarding eggs, they have to stay very close to home or a predator will sneak in and eat the eggs. That means it’s probably an advantage for them not to be too fussy and make do with whatever food is on their doorstep.
How can you tell which tompot blenny is which, under water?
I take close-up photographs of the
blennies to look at after I have been diving and can tell which is which from their unique skin markings, rather like those on a zebra or tiger.
When I get to know a particular blenny, I can often recognise it as soon as I see it – just like an old friend!
What has been your most memorable dive with the tompot blennies?
There have been so many! Dives are usually most memorable when I see the blennies do something for the first time.
A very unusual dive was when my partner Teresa and I went to show a tompot blenny, called Benny, the book that Teresa had written about him. He came out of his hidey-hole to look at it!
Why are tompot blennies your favourite fish?
I love tompot blennies because they have so much character and are so bold, inquisitive and entertaining.
Best of all is that, because they keep their territories and are recognisable, you get to know individuals and their personalities. They make me smile a lot!
■ Great British Marine Animals is out now. See marinephoto.co.uk