Diving with Velvetfish
Lanta Marine Life | Aploactinidae
Velvetfish are a family of small fish with a velvet-textured skin. They are generally compressed with small pelvic fins and some also have venomous spines. These elusive fish are very rarely seen while diving from Koh Lanta.
These fish are in the same super family as the scorpionfish, waspfish, stonefish and lionfish.
Velvetfish have a long dorsal fin that begins far forward on the head, running all the way to the tail fin.
These fish are extremely well-camouflaged ambush predators, living amongst algae or rubble, on or near rocky and coral reefs.
1 species found on this page:
Ghost Velvetfish
(Cocotropus larvatus)
Cocotropus larvatus @ Koh Haa
The ghost velvetfish is very rarely seen in the southern Andaman Sea and is a very well camouflaged species hiding in rocky or coral crevices or on sandy/rubble areas of the reef.
This fish grows to around 7 cm - 8 cm and has a very compressed (thin) body.
The ghost velvetfish colour varies from pale greyish to brownish, with brown spots on the head, snout, and fins. The dorsal fin begins above the middle of the eye and has 13 bony spines.
Diving with Velvetfish around Koh Lanta
Scuba Diving & Snorkel Trips
If you'd love a chance to spot Velvetfish on one of our daily high season diving trips from Koh Lanta then send us an email to info@diveandrelax.com.
Join our high season speedboat dive trips to some of Thailand's best dive sites and enjoy small groups, short journey times, with a focus on great personal service, safety and fun.
Not yet a certified diver? Learn to Scuba Dive on Koh Lanta with the 3 day SSI Open Water Diver course.
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Find Out More
Indo-Pacific Marine Life Guides
- Allen, G., Steene, R., Humann, P., DeLoach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification, Tropical Pacific. Jacksonville, FL., USA: New World Publications, Inc., ISBN 1-878348-36-1.
- Humann, P., DeLoach, N., (2010) Reef Creature Identification, Tropical Pacific. Jacksonville, FL., USA: New World Publications Inc., ISBN 978-1-878348-44-9
- Debelius, H. (2013) Indian Ocean Reef Guide. Frankfurt, Germany: IKAN - Unterwasserarchiv, ISBN 978-3-939767-52-7.
- Debelius, H. (2004) Nudibranchs and Sea Snails, Indo-Pacific Field Guide. Frankfurt, Germany: IKAN - Unterwasserarchiv, ISBN 3-925919-51-1
- Erhardt, H., Knop, D. (2015) Corals Indo-Pacific Field Guide. Frankfurt, Germany: IKAN - Unterwasserarchiv, ISBN 3-925919-69-4.
- Veron J.E.N., Stafford-Smith M.G., Turak E. and DeVantier L.M. (2016). Corals of the World