Habitat: Marine. Common around reefs and weedy areas. Young found on the reefs and floating sargassum. Depth range 2 - 25 m. Natural History Notes: Usually seen drifting at odd angles or standing nearly still, often vertical with head downward, among sea whips (gorgonians). A solitary ambusher, feeds mostly on small fish and shrimps. Often swims behind large herbivorous fishes to sneak up on prey. The membranous floor of the snout is elastic and provides for the passage of large prey through the snout. Characteristics: Long tubular snout, lower jaw projecting anterior to upper and bearing a barbel. Coloration greatly variable, ground color some shade of brown or red, with lengthwise pale lines. Round black spots present dorsally and ventrally on the fish, often on te sides as well. Second dorsal and anal fins longitudinally striped in front, nearly or quite colorless posteriorly.