# Molly Miller (*scartella cristata*)

The Molly Miller is a small, colorful fish that loves to explore rocky reefs! With its lively personality, it's a fun sight to see swimming in the ocean.

- **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Molly Millers live in warm, coastal waters near reefs and rocky areas.
- **Also known as:** Miller Fish, Rocky Fish

![Molly Miller](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Scartella_cristata_25-09-07_DSCF1035.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Etrusko25, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scartella_cristata_25-09-07_DSCF1035.jpg)

## Appearance

The Molly Miller is a small, elongated fish with mottled brown and tan patterns, often featuring dark spots or bars. It has prominent eyes and a distinctive fleshy crest on its head, which makes it visually different from most other small reef fish.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Actinopterygii
- **Order:** Perciformes
- **Family:** Blenniidae
- **Genus:** Scartella

## Interesting facts

- Baby Molly Millers start as tiny, free-swimming larvae in the open ocean!
- Molly Millers use their comb-like teeth to scrape tiny algae off rocks!
- Their eyes can move independently, letting them look two ways at once!
- These fish are named for a person, "Molly Miller," not their color!

## Special abilities

- **Master of Disguise:** Molly Miller can change its coloration to blend in with rocky or sandy substrates because this helps them hide from predators and ambush prey.
- **Rock Climber:** Molly Miller can cling to vertical surfaces and rocks using modified pelvic fins because this helps them navigate complex reef environments.
- **Breath Holder:** Molly Miller can survive out of water for short periods because its skin and gills can absorb oxygen from the air.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 5-12 cm
- **Weight:** 0.005-0.02 kg
- **Lifespan:** 2-5 years
- **Swim Speed:** 0.5 km/h
- **Maximum Depth:** 20 m
- **Water Type:** Saltwater

## Diet & Feeding

These tiny fish munch on algae and small invertebrates found on rocks.

- **Primary Foods:** algae, detritus, copepods, small worms, diatoms
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Bluehead Wrasse (*Thalassoma bifasciatum*) — A common reef predator that preys on small fish.
- **Eaten by:** Nassau Grouper (*Epinephelus striatus*) — Larger reef fish that hunt small bottom-dwellers.
- **Eats:** Peacock's Tail Algae (*Padina pavonica*) — Grazes on this common brown algae found on rocky reefs.
- **Depends on:** Long-spined Sea Urchin (*Diadema antillarum*) — Shares the same algal food sources on the reef.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
- [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
- [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.

## Collections

- [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Molly Miller?

Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Molly Miller?

5-12 cm

### How much does Molly Miller weigh?

0.005-0.02 kg

### How long does Molly Miller live?

2-5 years

### What does Molly Miller eat?

These tiny fish munch on algae and small invertebrates found on rocks.

### How fast can Molly Miller swim?

0.5 km/h

### Where is Molly Miller usually found?

Molly Millers live in warm, coastal waters near reefs and rocky areas.

### How does Molly Miller hunt?

Foraging

## Where to spot

- [Saint Andrews State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saint-andrews-state-park) — Florida, US · State Park

## More Fish

- [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*)
- [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*)
- [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*)
- [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*)

---

Source: [Molly Miller: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/molly-miller)