Opaleye

These little fish are Opaleye. An opal is a mineral or stone that can look milky blue in color. When this fish grows up, its eyes will start to look like opals. That’s why it is named the Opaleye. The fish in this picture are babies. They are only a couple of inches long. I know these are Opaleye because I can see two small white spots on thetop middle section of their bodies. Are these fish purple or yellow? No, they are grayish brown and blend in with the rocks and sand of the tide pool. Another thing that helps these tiny fish survive is that they usually swim around with a few friends. The Opaleye youngsters will shoot off in all different directions if something tries to eat them. This action confuses the predator and the youngsters escape. If nothing eats these juveniles, they will go out into the open water and grow into large adults as long as two feet. People who fish off of local piers usually catch Opaleye that are about a foot long. Opaleye make a very tasty dinner when fried.


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