Proudly South African fish you can meet at the Two Oceans Aquarium

As South Africans, we wear our heritage with pride, from our languages to our landscapes. While the Big Five take the spotlight on land, there’s an equally remarkable group of animals beneath the waves. This Heritage Month, the Two Oceans Aquarium is celebrating some of the ocean’s “proudly South African” species: Red stumpnose, galjoen, South African butterflyfish, zebra fish, and white steenbras.

From kelp forest to rocky shore, these fish have tales to tell.

Red stumpnose

With their powerful jaws and striking colouring, red stumpnose are iconic South African fish. Their most distinctive feature, though, is their bulbous foreheads that grow even more pronounced in males as they age.

Red stumpnose are endemic to South Africa, meaning they live nowhere else in the world. Known locally as Miss Lucy, these fish were once a line fishing staple. Unfortunately, this popularity caused a serious population decline – they are classified as endangered on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. Now, strict measures like size and catch limits have allowed them to somewhat recover.

At the Two Oceans Aquarium, red stumpnose glide through the Kelp Forest Exhibit as ambassadors for their species, reminding us that South Africa’s natural heritage relies on our care and respect to flourish.

Galjoen

Every country has a national bird, flower, or tree, but very few can boast a national fish like South Africa. Galjoen, which thrive in rough surf that would deter most other fish, are a symbol of our national zest for life.

The suggestion to make the galjoen the national fish of South Africa was first put forward by Margaret Smith. She wanted to find the marine equivalent of the springbok: A uniquely South African animal that was as iconic as it was special. Galjoen, which are endemic to the rocky shores between Namibia and the Eastern Cape, were the perfect fit. In fact, it is believed that galjoen were the first South African marine species to be identified as endemic.

Being South Africa’s national fish comes with an important job as ambassadors for responsible marine stewardship. Galjoen, whose nearshore habitats made them easy targets, were historically overfished and are now listed as a red species by WWF’s South African Sustainable Seafood Initiative. At the Aquarium, a few galjoen call the Kelp Forest Exhibit home, teaching a poignant lesson on preserving heritage for future generations.

South African butterflyfish

Dainty and dazzling, South African butterflyfish are a common sight in the warmer waters along our east coast. They stand out with their vibrant yellow bodies, bold stripes, and black “eye spot” that confuses predators.

They are often seen in pairs or groups, flitting gracefully between corals and rocky outcrops. They may be small, but butterflyfish play a big role in the reef ecosystem by feeding on invertebrates and helping to keep coral communities in balance. While not endangered, their limited habitat leaves them vulnerable to habitat degradation, climate change, and pollution.

Interestingly, South African butterflyfish are the only butterflyfish species that live in both the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans, making them the perfect representatives for the Two Oceans Aquarium. Visitors can spot these beautiful fish darting around the Octopus Exhibit.

Zebrafish

With their unmistakably bold stripes, zebrafish are a striking inhabitant of South Africa’s coastline. Just like their namesake, they have a pattern of black-and-white bars that help them to camouflage against the swaying kelp and rocky reef habitats they call home.

Zebrafish are most often spotted in large schools, sticking together as they graze on seaweed and algae. This “school mentality” is a defence mechanism: It is more difficult for predators to single out an individual zebrafish from a moving mass of stripes! Their feeding habits also play an essential role in maintaining healthy kelp forests by keeping algal growth in check and allowing other marine life to thrive.

At the Aquarium, visitors can spot these stripey reef-dwellers in the Kelp Forest Exhibit!

White steenbras

These enormous fish are one of South Africa’s most iconic coastal fish. With their sleek, silver bodies and faint golden stripes, they shimmer as the light filters through the shallower waters they prefer, blending seamlessly into their sandy surroundings.

White steenbras are long-lived and slow-growing, which makes them vulnerable to overfishing as they don’t get a chance to reproduce before they are caught. Once, they were abundant along our coast, but today, they are listed as critically endangered because of heavy fishing pressure.

Their protection is critical as they play an important role as predators in their ecosystems, feeding on small invertebrates and helping to maintain healthy sandy-bottom habitats.

Visitors to the Two Oceans Aquarium can see these silvery giants in the Kelp Forest Exhibit.

Celebrating our living heritage

South Africa’s marine environment is one of the most unique in the world. The southern tip of the continent is the meeting place of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, providing South Africa with a rich variety of life that exists nowhere else.

Yet this diversity is threatened by overfishing, plastic pollution, climate change, and habitat loss that take a toll on our endemic species. That’s why the Two Oceans Aquarium showcases the beauty and diversity of the oceans off southern Africa – each exhibit encourages love, respect, and understanding of our oceans, so people are motivated to act for their future well-being and to use natural resources sustainably.

This Heritage Month, look beyond the land and into the ocean, where you can explore our vibrant heritage beneath the surface. Whether it’s the commanding presence of the red stumpnose, the iconic spirit of the galjoen, or the quiet grace of the butterflyfish, each of these species reminds us of who we are as South Africans and what we need to protect.

After all, heritage is not just what we inherit. It’s what we protect for the generations to come.