WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Blue-striped Fangblenny

Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos

Also known as: Blueline Sabretooth Blenny, Blue-lined Blenny, Blue-lined Sabretooth Blenny, Blue-striped Blenny, Blue-striped Sabretooth Blenny, Blunt-nosed Blenny, Cleaner Mimic, False Cleanerfish, Fang Blenny, Imposter Fangblenny, Sabretooth Blenny, Sabre-toothed Blenny, Tubeworm Blenny, Twostripe Blenny

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2026
Adult
@fishx6 · Gangehi, Maldives · March 20081 / 11
01

Overview

Found singly, hiding in deserted worm tubes or holes in the reef, with just their heads showing, over clearwater lagoons and inner coral reefs, rich in algae and coral growth. Mimicking other fish, often changing their colour to get close to passing fish, and then attacking, biting off small pieces of mucus, scales and tissue. They will also nip divers.

Combtooth Blennies are the largest family of blennies, found in both tropical and subtropical waters and freshwater habitats, as the name suggests they have comb like teeth lining their jaws, well suited for scraping food off hard surfaces!
Sabretooth Blennies have teeth to match their name!
They can be seen darting forward to sever flesh from fishes fins. (can sometimes be seen taking a swipe at divers as well) They will then dart back into their holes out of harm's way.
Some blennies will mimic cleaner wrasses to get close enough for a nip at fish.
A few Sabretooth Blennies are venomous.

02

How to identify

Pattern
stripes

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 10
LIVES IN

Found singly, hiding in deserted worm tubes or holes in the reef, with just their heads showing, over clearwater lagoons and inner coral reefs, rich in algae and coral growth.

04

Adult photos 11

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderBlenniiformes
    5. familyBlenniidae
    6. genusPlagiotremus
    7. speciesPlagiotremus rhinorhynchos (Bleeker, 1852)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Combtooth Blennies (Blenniidae)