Peer under a ledge on a Punta Cana reef and you may see a small black-and-white fish swimming tight circles in the shadow, over and over, as if it were pacing a room. If its front dorsal fin rises like a tall sail, you have found a spotted drum. If that fin is a long, wavy ribbon, longer than the fish itself, you have found a juvenile, and that is one of the most graceful sights on a Caribbean reef.

Spotted drums are not rare, but they are easy to miss. They spend the day in the same shady spots, rarely venture into open water and only come out properly at night. That makes them a reward for divers who slow down and look into the gaps, which is exactly how we like to dive.

Quick Facts

Name: spotted drum, Equetus punctatus (some references now place it in the genus Eques)
Size: usually about 18 cm (7 in); the largest recorded reach about 27 cm (11 in)
Diet: crabs, shrimps and marine worms, caught at night
Activity: nocturnal; shelters by day under ledges and near small cave openings
Depth: about 3–30 m (10–100 ft), mainly on coral reefs
Range: western Atlantic, from Bermuda, Florida and the Bahamas through the Caribbean and from Mexico's Yucatán to Brazil
Status: listed as Least Concern by the IUCN

How to Recognize a Spotted Drum

The tall first dorsal fin is the first thing to look for. In adults it stands up like a sail just behind the head, much higher than the body is deep. The body itself is white, crossed by bold dark bands: one through the eye, one just behind the head and a broad stripe running back along the body, with finer dark lines on the back. The rear dorsal fin, the tail and the anal fin are dark and dotted with white spots and dashes. Those white spots are what give the fish its name and are the quickest way to confirm it.

Juveniles are what most divers hope for. A young spotted drum is white with a few black bars, a small black spot on the tip of its snout and a first dorsal fin so long that it trails behind the body like a streamer, rippling as the fish moves. They are often only a few centimeters long and usually stay close to one spot under a ledge, swimming in the same repetitive loops. As they grow, the fin becomes proportionally shorter, and the spotted fins and stripes of the adult develop.

Two close relatives can cause confusion. The jackknife fish (Equetus lanceolatus) has a similar shape, but a single dark band sweeps from the top of its tall dorsal fin down the body to the tip of the tail, like the blade of a folding knife, and its fins lack white spots. The high-hat (Pareques acuminatus) is covered in many dark and pale stripes, with a lower dorsal fin and no white-spotted fins. If the rear fins are black with white dots, it is a spotted drum.

Behavior: The Quiet Member of a Noisy Family

Spotted drums belong to the drum and croaker family, Sciaenidae, named for the drumming and croaking sounds many of its members make using special muscles that vibrate the swim bladder. Some of its bigger relatives can be heard from a boat. The spotted drum is a much more discreet animal, and most divers know it for its looks rather than its voice.

By day it stays under cover, usually alone, sometimes in pairs. Adults hover near the base of a coral head or under an overhang; juveniles pace their little circuits in the shade. Unlike many reef fish, they are not especially skittish, and if you approach calmly a spotted drum will often hold its position and let you watch.

At night it leaves its shelter to forage over the reef and the sand around it, picking up small crabs, shrimps and polychaete worms. The small mouth, set low on the head and nearly horizontal, is suited to taking prey from the bottom.

You may read that spotted drums are territorial or aggressive when disturbed. We have found no good evidence for that. They are simply shy reef residents that prefer to keep their own corner.

Where to See Spotted Drums in Punta Cana

Spotted drums are not as common as squirrelfish, but they turn up regularly on our local reefs once you learn where to look: under ledges, in the mouths of small caves and in shaded gaps at the base of coral heads. Cuevitas, at 10 m (33 ft), with its small caves and swim-throughs, is a natural place to find one. The canyons and crevices of Rock City, between 5 and 16 m (17 and 53 ft), are another good bet, and the sheltered corners of Wreck Monica at 15 m (50 ft) are worth checking too.

Juveniles are less common and smaller, so finding one is a real treat. Our guides know which ledges to check, but there is never a guarantee; the sites we dive each day depend on conditions. You can see the spotted drum on our species guide, and our field guide to weird reef things covers more strange-looking residents of the same nooks.

Photography Tips

Approach low and slow. Settle a short distance from the ledge, at the fish's level, and let it get used to you. Spotted drums often stay put if you do not rush them.
Never reach into the ledge or touch the coral to steady yourself. Good buoyancy is what makes the shot possible.
Use a strobe or video light to bring out the white spots on the dark fins. Under natural light at depth the fish looks grey.
Time it with the loops. A juvenile swims the same path again and again. Watch one lap, then wait for it to come back into frame with the long fin fully extended.
Go easy on the light. A short burst is fine, but a bright light held on the fish for minutes is stressful and sends it deeper under the ledge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called a spotted drum?

"Drum" comes from its family, the drums and croakers, many of which make drumming sounds with their swim bladders. "Spotted" refers to the white spots on its dark rear fins.

Why does the juvenile have such a long fin?

The very long first dorsal fin is a feature of young spotted drums and shrinks proportionally as they grow. Its exact purpose has not been firmly established.