Parapercis snyderi
A small reef-bottom fish common on rubble slopes in Sulawesi and Sai Kung, active in 20.5-29C water year-round.
A slender, cylindrical fish that rarely tops 8 cm, usually seen propped on its pelvic fins on sand or rubble rather than swimming freely. Look for a pale grey-tan body marked with a row of dark saddle-like blotches along the back and a series of faint stripes lower down. The head is pointed and the eyes sit high, giving it the alert, watchful posture typical of sandperches.
Divers most often spot it perched motionless on rubble or sand, propped up on its pelvic fins while scanning the area, then darting a short distance to resettle when approached. It tends to hug the substrate close to reef edges rather than venture into open water, and it is easy to overlook given its small size and muted colouring. Most sightings come from slow, close-focus looks at the bottom rather than mid-water encounters.
Like other sandperches, it likely feeds by darting out from its resting perch to snatch small invertebrates off the bottom, a hunting style that explains why it is so often photographed sitting still between short bursts of movement.
No clear seasonal pattern shows up in the sightings, and its comfort range of 20.5 to 29C spans both tropical and warm-temperate conditions, so it is a year-round find across its range.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Most reliably logged in Sulawesi, Indonesia, and a strong presence around Sai Kung in Hong Kong, with further sightings in Krabi, Thailand, Central Japan, and the Visayas in the Philippines. It turns up on rubble and sand patches near reef structure rather than on open coral, so sites with mixed bottom types tend to produce more sightings.
Mapping where Snyder's Grubfish is logged…
It is most commonly logged in Sulawesi, Indonesia, and around Sai Kung in Hong Kong, with further sightings in Krabi, Thailand, Central Japan, and the Visayas in the Philippines.
There is no strong seasonal signal in the sightings, and it tolerates a wide temperature range of 20.5 to 29C, so it can be found year-round wherever it occurs.
Look for a small, slender fish around 8 cm long, pale grey-tan with a row of dark saddle blotches along its back, usually perched still on sand or rubble rather than swimming in open water.
They are small, typically reaching about 8 cm in length, which makes them easy to miss against rubble and sand unless you are looking closely.
No, they pose no threat to divers and simply dart off a short distance if approached too closely.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Spotted Sandperch
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