Home · Clinidae · Adelaide weedfish
Adelaide weedfish (Heteroclinus adelaidae) — Clinidae

Adelaide weedfish

Heteroclinus adelaidae
Family: Clinidae

The Adelaide weedfish (Heteroclinus adelaidae) is a brackish-water fish of the family Clinidae that grows up to 9 cm.

Length
9 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
0–15.0 m
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Algae or seagrass meadow
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia

Want the complete picture on the Adelaide weedfish?

Get the app

Description

The Adelaide weedfish is a weedfish or klipfish (Clinidae) from coastal waters of temperate coastal waters of southern Australia. The species grows to about 12 cm and has a slender, brown-green body with fine markings and small fringes, strongly camouflaged among weed and seagrass. As a bottom-dweller it shelters in weed beds and tide pools and snaps at small crustaceans, molluscs and worms; it bears live young. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Adelaide weedfish?

The Adelaide weedfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly green and shows a marbled pattern.

Where does the Adelaide weedfish live?

The Adelaide weedfish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around algae or seagrass beds. Oceania: Australia

How big does the Adelaide weedfish get?

The Adelaide weedfish grows to a maximum of about 9 cm.

Is the Adelaide weedfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Adelaide weedfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Adelaide weedfish (Heteroclinus adelaidae) — Clinidae — 2
Finn, Julian (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — NMV
Adelaide weedfish (Heteroclinus adelaidae) — Clinidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Rachel Price, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Adelaide weedfish (Heteroclinus adelaidae) — Clinidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) henrycarrick, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Adelaide weedfish (Heteroclinus adelaidae) — Clinidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) David Spencer Muirhead, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Adelaide weedfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Adelaide weedfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Adelaide weedfish sourced
Scientific name
Heteroclinus adelaidae
Family
Clinidae
Other names
Adelaide's weedfish; Phillips weedfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
9.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Green sourced
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Algae or seagrass meadow sourced
Max depth (m)
15.0 verified
Natural range
Oceania: Australia sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Heteroclinus

More from the family Clinidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Adelaide weedfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Adelaide weedfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Adelaide weedfish? Get the app