The elusive golden weedfish is a cryptic fish rarely sighted due to their ability to mimic algae, specifically the golden kelp found all along the Great Southern Reef. The golden weedfish belongs to one of the six Blenny families, Clinidae. In contrast to the other 5, the Clinidae have a mainly temperate distribution. While some members of this family have a slender appearance and bear the name "snake blenny" and "eel blenny", the crested weedfish has a broader body and striking visual appearance. The majority of temperate blennies possess rich, highly variable colouration in shades of reddish-brown to olive, often with cryptic patterns; this suits their lifestyle, frequenting areas of dense weed or kelps. As a type of groundfish, these fish are often found in kelp beds or along the sand in pursuit of weed-dwelling crustaceans and small fish. Eggs are deposited on kelp for the male to guard.