Razorfish, or Aeoliscus strigatus as they are scientifically known, are odd in that they typically swim vertically rather than horizontally. If you come across them in the ocean, you might wonder why they are all acting so unusually.

The answer becomes clear once you see where they live. They spend most of their time in corals, seagrass beds, and even the spines of sea urchins. All of these places have one thing in common. They have long arms or other things that stick up.

So, the razorfish is able to hide in them quite effectively. Their color helps keep them hidden in these areas as well.

Camouflage is commonly used in nature to keep animals safe from predators, or to help them sneak up on prey. In the case of the razorfish, it actually does both.

By swimming vertically, razorfish blend right in with their surroundings so the large fish swimming by won’t even notice them. When they are ready to attack their prey, which is mostly made up of animals like amphipods or copepods, they can remain almost invisible while they sneak up on them before attacking.

The razorfish is an incredible example of how evolution can take many different paths to help allow for the survival of a species. This one really stands out from the rest, but it has been shown to be very effective at ensuring the razorfish can thrive in their environment.

If you would like to see razorfish swimming, check out this video:

Seeing these fish swim is quite a sight to see.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about the mysterious “pyramids” discovered in Antarctica. What are they?