Pacific Creolefish

Sightings

2026 season, every one sourced

Photos

From California this season

No photos yet. If you photographed this animal in California this season, post it to the Coastal Bulletin.

Home Range

Where it normally lives

Gulf of California south to Peru, including the Revillagigedo, Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos and Malpelo islands.

Range source: FishBase

The species lives from the Gulf of California to Peru and around the offshore islands of the tropical eastern Pacific, including the Revillagigedo, Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos and Malpelo islands. It is found from about 33 to 230 feet deep.

Identification

The Pacific creolefish is a small grouper, reddish or reddish gray, with 2 or 3 bright blue or violet spots along its back and 2 more on the base of the tail. A bright blue spot sits where each pectoral fin meets the body. The base of the dorsal fin is darker than the body, and the fin's edge is reddish green. It grows to about 14 inches.

Natural History

Pacific creolefish gather in small groups that hang well above the reef, then drop back into the rock when something threatens them. They feed on tiny drifting animals, picking each one out of the water individually. Their short snout lets both eyes focus on prey at close range. Fishermen in its home range use it as bait.

In California

Divers photographed the species at the La Jolla Submarine Canyon on October 25 and 27, 2026, and on the Ruby E wreck off San Diego on October 26. Another record came from San Diego County on October 23. No earlier California record turned up in this research.

Taxonomy

Rarity

Rarity in the compendium is how often the animal has been reported on the California coast this season, not how rare it is where it normally lives. It moves as new sightings come in.