The goatfish is a bottom feeding fish can be found in reefs and coral areas. The goatfish family contains 55 species, one being the spotted goatfish. It gets its name because, like goats, it will eat just about anything such as mollusks, worms, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. It has a pair of long barbs protruding from its face, which allow for the fish to sift through the ocean floor in search of food. The goatfish will often form a small school during the day that is inactive and does not feed. At night, the fish separate from the small school and begin to scavenge through the sand on its own. All goatfish have the ability to change color depending on their current activity. The spotted goatfish is the same color as the sand on the ocean floor, and it has 3-4 dark spots on its body. It can grow to be 25 centimeters, and it stays at depths no deeper that 18 meters.
