0:00:02 > 0:00:05Australia, home of the possum, cool surfer dudes, strange lingo...
0:00:05 > 0:00:07No worries, mate, fair dinkum.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09..lots of sunshine and the bonzer Barrier Reef.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12It's the biggest, most spectacular coral reef in the world,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15and what's more, every creature is linked to another.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19Just imagine one huge family tree dating back 18 million years.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22From the minuscule to the mammoth to the miraculous,
0:00:22 > 0:00:25they're all connected in Barney's Barrier Reef.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Roll up, roll up, roll up! Get your special island coconuts,
0:00:48 > 0:00:49special coconuts right here.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52One for ten, two for 25, don't be disappointed,
0:00:52 > 0:00:53miss these and you miss out!
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Oh, what's so special about these?
0:00:56 > 0:00:58- Oh, these are island coconuts.- And?
0:00:58 > 0:01:02And there's only six of these in existence - at the moment -
0:01:02 > 0:01:05and you won't find any of these anywhere else -
0:01:05 > 0:01:06for about ten metres.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Well, they just look like normal coconuts to me.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Oh, well, that's where you're wrong, miss.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14You see, these are specially designed.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18Well, a coconut is a coconut, and...that one's empty.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21- Ah, yes, but... - Barney, you'd make a rubbish conman.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Ah, how did you know it was me?
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Luckily, the shady creatures of the underwater world
0:01:28 > 0:01:32are much smarter conmen, and better masters at disguise.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35I tell you what, you can have it...for 20.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Time to take a look at the tricks of the trade
0:01:38 > 0:01:40of the real Barrier Reef conmen.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46So for our first creature conman,
0:01:46 > 0:01:50erm, I think we've encountered a breathing rock.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Yeah, that may or may not be an eye.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56And those may or may not be...teeth.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59- You were right the first time. - And so were you.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02We're looking at a stonefish, a master of disguise,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04a true monster of the deep.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08And he is ugly!
0:02:09 > 0:02:13He's a right fidget, he can't get comfortable.
0:02:13 > 0:02:14And he really needs to be comfortable,
0:02:14 > 0:02:16because he may be there for a while.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19He's a true professional undercover conman, this one.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24- FISH ON RIGHT:- Nice day for it, eh?
0:02:25 > 0:02:27- Er, Sid? - STONEFISH BURPS
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Meet one of the ocean's most convincing tricksters.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32He has all the tools to disguise himself
0:02:32 > 0:02:34and stake out any passing prey.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Hey!
0:02:36 > 0:02:39He has thick skin covered in slimy algae to resemble a stone,
0:02:39 > 0:02:43eyes that can constantly look all around him, his very own binoculars.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Upturned mouth facing the surface, all the better to gulp you with.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Add that all up, and you get an easy meal for this geezer.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55You wouldn't want to meet one of these conmen in a dark alley.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58They're so well disguised.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00There are no warning signs,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02and you can be history in about 15 milliseconds.
0:03:02 > 0:03:03- FISH:- Huh?
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Their skin just keeps growing and growing and growing
0:03:07 > 0:03:09to become really thick-skinned.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13Hey, stupid, stinky stonefish, you are ugly and your breath stinks.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Waaaah!
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- Hey, that's a bit mean.- I'm just seeing how thick-skinned he is.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Oh, not that kind of thick-skinned.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25The stonefish is the ultimate master of disguise,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27blending into the background and lying in wait
0:03:27 > 0:03:29for poor innocent fish.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Here's our next trickster.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Why are we looking at two leaves, Gem?
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- We're not. - One leaf, two leaf - yes, we are.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42No, one of them is faking it.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46Is that fish feeling OK? Come on, mate, swim properly,
0:03:46 > 0:03:47you're rubbish.
0:03:47 > 0:03:48Hey!
0:03:48 > 0:03:53Don't insult our fish. Even if they are conmen, it's all part of his act.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56He doesn't just look like a leaf, he behaves like one, too.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Oh, wow, that sounds like so much fun - not!
0:04:01 > 0:04:03It's not about fun.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06This is a baby batfish, and pretending to be a leaf
0:04:06 > 0:04:10is a cunning way of escaping from the jaws of potential predators.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Oh, well, he deserves an Oscar, then.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Oh, that's an extremely convincing performance!
0:04:15 > 0:04:16Oh, very moving, sweetie!
0:04:16 > 0:04:19But couldn't he choose something more exciting to impersonate?
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Not if he wants to survive.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25No fish is going to want to nibble on a dry old leaf,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29so he gets left alone until he grows up and heads for the big reef.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32And when he's an adult, he swims like a proper fish,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36and when he's grown up, there's nothing leafy about him at all,
0:04:36 > 0:04:38he happily munches on jellyfish.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41So the stonefish pretends to be a dreary old stone
0:04:41 > 0:04:43and the batfish a limp, lifeless leaf.
0:04:43 > 0:04:48Yep, so they're connected because they're both fakers.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52Hello, long stripy snake,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56you've got the whole ocean to yourself there by the looks of it.
0:04:56 > 0:04:57- SNAKE:- Yeah!
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Oh, and here's another one.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01He's not a snake, Gem, he's a snake eel.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Don't be ridiculous, Barney, he's either a snake or an eel,
0:05:04 > 0:05:06they're two separate animals.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09I mean, they may look alike, but they're still different.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12It's like calling something a rabbit, hare, a frog, toad
0:05:12 > 0:05:14or zebra, horse just because they look similar.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19It may be ludicrous, but it's true and for a very cunning reason.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Meet the deadly banded sea snake.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Hello, banded sea snake, you look familiar.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And here is the snake eel.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30Er, confusion overload.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33OK, well, let's have a look at the CV, shall we?
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Ah, so the snake eel looks like the snake, swims like the snake,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58but is a fish, not a reptile, and it's not venomous.
0:05:58 > 0:05:59Erm, why?
0:05:59 > 0:06:00Well, it's a complete con.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02By copying the way the sea snake looks,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05the snake eel is much less likely to get attacked.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Which is why he is so confidently swimming through the reef
0:06:08 > 0:06:10without a care in the world.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15So the leaf-loving batfish and the fake snake eel are connected
0:06:15 > 0:06:17because they're both complete fakers.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Bring on the next conman, please.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27So our sneaky snake eel is not the only shifty mimic in the reef,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30wait until you see these two amazing lookalikes.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34Let me introduce you to the black-saddled toby fish.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36He's part of the pufferfish family.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Ah, he's a cutie.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42He's a toxic cutie, as it happens.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45He has poisonous skin, and his yellow, black and white colourings
0:06:45 > 0:06:48tell passing predators that he tastes horrible.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51This is all very interesting, Barney, but really he's not a conman, is he?
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Patience, Gemma, patience.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57Let me introduce another fish altogether, the mimic leatherjacket.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Hang on...let me see that again.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08It's like spot the difference, they're exactly the same.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Yeah, pretty much.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12You see the toby fish is not exactly an Olympic swimmer,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16so he has toxic skin and bright bee-like colouring instead.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20So it means he can happily swim along knowing he won't get gobbled up,
0:07:20 > 0:07:24because his bright colour screams, "I'm toxic, stay away!"
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Yeah, the leatherjacket doesn't have poisonous skin,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32so it mimics the toxic toby fish to the last little black dot.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37Ah, so he looks poisonous when actually he's as harmless as a fly!
0:07:37 > 0:07:40That's well crafty.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43The snake eel and the leatherjacket are connected
0:07:43 > 0:07:45because they are both toxic copycats.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51BAGPIPES PLAY
0:07:54 > 0:07:57- IN SCOTTISH ACCENT:- Well, hello! It's the fangblenny fish.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00- Are they Scottish?- Er, no, I just thought that "fangblenny"
0:08:00 > 0:08:02sounds like a Scottish name.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05It's actually called fangblenny because it's got big fangs,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08and "blenny" comes from the Greek for "mucus"
0:08:08 > 0:08:11because it has really slimy skin.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Ooh, but is he a slimy character?
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Oh, yes, it's slime for me to explain.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21- I hope that's as bad as it gets, please continue.- Sorry.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29So this is the fangblenny in his normal outfit,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32a nice shade of orange.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36And this is the cleaner wrasse, one of the reef's most popular fish.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40The cleaner wrasse are reef heroes, because they nibble and clean up
0:08:40 > 0:08:42nasty parasites from other fishes' bodies.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Ooh, not my idea of a good meal, but each to their own.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49And the fangblenny feeds on scales and chunks of fish flesh.
0:08:50 > 0:08:51- FISH:- Hey!
0:08:51 > 0:08:57As fresh as it gets, actually - straight off a fish's body.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Eugh!
0:09:01 > 0:09:05So the crafty fangblenny already swims quite like the wrasse,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08but when he decides he wants a piece of the parasite action,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10he pairs up with a cleaner wrasse
0:09:10 > 0:09:13and changes his outfit to look like him.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15They're exactly the same.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Ah, so he tries to fool the fish into thinking
0:09:19 > 0:09:23they're going for a nice fish wash with the cleaner wrasse,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26but instead they're going to get their flesh nibbled
0:09:26 > 0:09:29by a fishy conman - ooh!
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Both the mimic leather jacket and crafty fangblenny
0:09:31 > 0:09:34steal other fishes' IDs for an easier life.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39These two cheeky conmen are connected by cunning cases of stolen identity.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48- These cute fish are looking right at you!- Meet the twinspot gobies.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50They have, well, twin spots.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Which is their front end and which is their back end?
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Ah-ha, well, that's their con. Their two-spotted fin is confusing
0:09:56 > 0:09:59to our eyes and even more confusing to the underwater world.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01In fact, they're also named the crab-eye goby,
0:10:01 > 0:10:06because they pretend to be a crab to fool predators.
0:10:06 > 0:10:07Let's take a closer look.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Ah, that's the real eye...
0:10:10 > 0:10:15Oh, or is that their eye? Ah, they're very clever, these little gobies.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19- GOBIES:- Can I help you?- What are you looking at?- Do you mind?
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Oh, very yummy sand, hmm!
0:10:21 > 0:10:25They're bottom feeders, so spend most of that time munching on sand
0:10:25 > 0:10:26to filter through any nibbles.
0:10:28 > 0:10:29They're also behaving like twins,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32I mean, look at them moving completely in sync.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Yeah, brace yourself, romantic moment coming.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41- They're in love!- You're kidding.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Nope, gobies mate for life and are completely faithful to each other,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47which may explain why they're so in sync.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49What's the connection between this slushy pair
0:10:49 > 0:10:52and the feisty fangblenny?
0:10:52 > 0:10:53They are both crafty in pairs.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55The fangblenny is only inspired
0:10:55 > 0:10:57when a cleaner wrasse is around,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59and the gobies only have eyes for each other.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Right, let's take a look back at our crazy conmen collections.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11So how do we get from that way-too- convincing fish dressed as a stone
0:11:11 > 0:11:13and end up with these odd goby twosome?
0:11:13 > 0:11:14Let's reef-cap.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19He may not be the best looking conman you'll ever meet,
0:11:19 > 0:11:23but he's certainly one of the most effective.
0:11:23 > 0:11:24The big gulping stonefish.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29From one extreme to the other, our delicate little batfish cons his way
0:11:29 > 0:11:31out of trouble by pretending to be a leaf.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Bizarre, but not as bizarre as this ocean scam,
0:11:35 > 0:11:37an eel pretending to be a snake.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40It gets him a much better deal in the ocean, though,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42just like our friend the leather jackets,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44pretending to be the toxic toby fish.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47So much so you can hardly tell the difference between them.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50It's a bit like stealing someone's ID.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55And their clothes...and their face.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Just like the crafty fangblenny,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01riding on the reputation of the popular cleaner wrasse.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06The little gobies aren't scary at all, but their false eyes are freaky.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10Here's looking at you - from my side.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14So who's our next shady sea dealer?
0:12:22 > 0:12:26- This is the peculiar little pufferfish.- FISH:- Ni hao.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29With its silly helicopter fins and weird box-shaped head,
0:12:29 > 0:12:33some are pretty, some are spotty or have a fondness for leopardskin,
0:12:33 > 0:12:35and some even resemble other animals.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42So at first glance quite cute and cuddly, really.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44But this is a show about conmen of the reef.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Oh, no!
0:12:46 > 0:12:48And this darling little puffer
0:12:48 > 0:12:50is one of the world's most poisonous fish.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52They have a deadly toxin inside,
0:12:52 > 0:12:56so anything that tries to eat them gets poisoned.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58And their skin is often covered in spikes,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02so either way, they're not first on any predator's menu.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Ah, that explains why they're so out and proud.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09In fact, pufferfish aren't content with just being toxic and spiky.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11They have another con-trick to beat all cons.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14It's not subtle, but boy, is it effective!
0:13:14 > 0:13:18I'm a little pufferfish just minding my own business.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21I look so sweet and innocent, don't I?
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Now, leave me alone.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27No, I mean it, really, go away, cos you won't like me when I'm angry.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30- Seriously, you won't... - ..Like me when I'm angry!
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Now see what you've made me do! I warned you, didn't I?
0:13:33 > 0:13:35I am now a big spiky ball in a bad mood!
0:13:37 > 0:13:39With their sensational water-sucking action,
0:13:39 > 0:13:43they transform from this...to this.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47So by increasing their size by more than three times
0:13:47 > 0:13:50into this ludicrous spiky ball, they con their enemies
0:13:50 > 0:13:53into thinking they're much bigger than they actually are.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55And let's face it, who wants to attempt
0:13:55 > 0:13:57to eat a big spiky poisonous ball?
0:13:57 > 0:13:59I would say, erm, no-one.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Cool con. Imagine if we could do that.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06You just don't look as scary, though.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Our peculiar pufferfish can transform
0:14:08 > 0:14:10into a spiky beach ball,
0:14:10 > 0:14:12and the twinspot goby
0:14:12 > 0:14:14make themselves look like giant crabs.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17So they are connected because their size lies.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Meow!
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Wow, there must be some tasty fish food here,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23it's a bit of a fish fight.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26- Meet the catfish.- Meow!
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Catfish, are you sure? I can't see the resemblance.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Well, from a distance, they look like quite ordinary fish,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36but there's something rather whiskery going on in the mouth area.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40- Fish with whiskers.- Well, they're actually called barbels.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44They're basically sand-stirrers for the catfish to rummage around
0:14:44 > 0:14:46on the sea floor for tasty morsels.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Why do they all need to rummage in the same bit of sand?
0:14:49 > 0:14:52It's a device to make themselves look too big to bother with.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56So their predators see them as one big animal and think,
0:14:56 > 0:14:57"No way, too much hassle"?
0:14:59 > 0:15:00Yep.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04With up to 100 fish in one gang at a time,
0:15:04 > 0:15:08they use their numbers to appear more threatening to their enemies.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Who wants to bother battling 100 catfish
0:15:10 > 0:15:14when they could snaffle up a single fish here and there?
0:15:14 > 0:15:15I guess not every fish has the ability to blow
0:15:15 > 0:15:17themselves up like Mr Pufferfish.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21So they have to use other ways to con and confuse their enemies.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28Like the pufferfish, the crafty catfish use size trickery to fool
0:15:28 > 0:15:32their enemies by ganging together to form one big feeding ball.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34So, who's our next crafty conman?
0:15:40 > 0:15:44- CRABS:- Oh, does my hair look all right? I can't get it right.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47I'm itching to stick this bit of algae on. How do I look?
0:15:47 > 0:15:48A little too green.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51I need a bit of white stuff here,
0:15:51 > 0:15:53a ball of fluff here.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Give it a clean first - health and safety. I love dressing up!
0:15:57 > 0:15:58Ooh, baby!
0:16:00 > 0:16:04I reckon these crabs have got a little carried away
0:16:04 > 0:16:05with the ocean dressing-up box.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07Hello!
0:16:07 > 0:16:13These crabs are called decorator crabs, and the name says it all.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16They spend most of their time decorating themselves
0:16:16 > 0:16:18in bits and pieces of the reef for disguise.
0:16:18 > 0:16:19That's so cool!
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Whether they prefer the pebble-dash look...
0:16:22 > 0:16:25The more traditional leafy green attire...
0:16:25 > 0:16:27These stone-like accessories...
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Or the mad purple hair, whatever they pick
0:16:29 > 0:16:32allows them to skulk around unnoticed by their enemies.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36So they're dressing up to disguise themselves with outfits that mean
0:16:36 > 0:16:37they can completely blend in.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Clever, eh? I wish we could do that.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44I think we'd look even weirder.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48Plus, we're not covered in tiny hooks that we can attach stuff to,
0:16:48 > 0:16:50like the decorator crab.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51Which reminds me.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53Why did the crab cross the road?
0:16:53 > 0:16:57- I don't know. - To get to the other tide!
0:16:57 > 0:17:00To get to the other...it's like side, but tide. It's a crab.
0:17:00 > 0:17:01Awesome.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05Try this one. This one's free. What's a crab's favourite movie?
0:17:05 > 0:17:07- I don't know.- Claws!
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Like Jaws, but if you're a crab, it's claws.
0:17:11 > 0:17:12Get off me!
0:17:12 > 0:17:15That was so unnecessary.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Like the catfish, who uses his mates to blend in with
0:17:18 > 0:17:20other big fish, the crab uses bits
0:17:20 > 0:17:24and pieces from around his home to blend in with his environment.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26The catfish and decorator crab are the ultimate
0:17:26 > 0:17:29"use more to blend in" ocean conmen.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36- Barney? - What?- I'll give you 100 coconuts
0:17:36 > 0:17:39if you can spot our next conman. You have five seconds, starting now.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43There, on the right...no, the top left...no, they're
0:17:43 > 0:17:47in the middle...oh, man!
0:17:47 > 0:17:51My coconuts are safe! Here he is.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53That's just a piece of coral.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54Hang on, the coral moved.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58We've seen an eel that looks like a snake,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01a leaf impersonator and a crab that dresses up.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06But in my book, nothing beats this little fellow, the pygmy seahorse.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12But how... Is it computer-generated?
0:18:12 > 0:18:14They've got very stilted moves, haven't they?
0:18:14 > 0:18:17- SEAHORSE:- Oh, I want to go there.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Look, I've made it! Oh, hello!
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Just an amazing example of how nothing in the ocean
0:18:24 > 0:18:26is as it first appears.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30These little fellows are seahorses, but so tiny, it's untrue.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33The size of the nail on your little finger, in fact.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36They're tiny, all right. How come they don't just get blown away?
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Their curly tail allows them to swing from branch to branch,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41a bit like a cheeky monkey.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46And as they swing, they feed on tiny animals that float by.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48How come they look so much like their home?
0:18:48 > 0:18:51They're such home bodies that they have blended in perfectly.
0:18:51 > 0:18:56It would literally be like me turning into my home to the last detail.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00They even have the same lumps and bumps.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02I know. Taken out of the coral,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05they'd look like they had a bad case of chicken pox,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07but in the coral, they blend in perfectly.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09I can't see the seahorse resemblance.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11They don't look much like horses, do they?
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Well, they are seahorses, but to help them blend in even more
0:19:15 > 0:19:18to their coral home, they've lost their famous seahorse snout
0:19:18 > 0:19:21that you see on their relatives, the regular seahorses.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Yeah, his snout's been chopped off, hasn't it?
0:19:24 > 0:19:26He looks more like a pig than a horse.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Like their cousins, the seahorses, their mummy is a daddy.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33Are you horsing around?
0:19:36 > 0:19:40No, it's true. They're the only animal in the world
0:19:40 > 0:19:42where the male gets pregnant and has babies.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44You mean this little fellow is a momma?
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Yep, and you can see the babies moving around.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50So technically not a conman in the fish world,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52but a weird one in the human world.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Look, these two are playing a game.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57I suppose you have to entertain yourself
0:19:57 > 0:19:59when you're stuck on a coral for life.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02So like the dressing-up decorator crab,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04the pygmy seahorse is a brilliant mimic,
0:20:04 > 0:20:05and can con anyone into thinking
0:20:05 > 0:20:08they were just looking at pretty coral.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10What fantastic ocean fakery!
0:20:10 > 0:20:13- Time to catch up with our cunning con artists.- How do you do?
0:20:13 > 0:20:15All right, thanks.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24The ocean conners have a few clever tricks up their sleeves.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26What's more, they're all linked together.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28Puffer by name, puffed up by nature.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Size lies with this crafty pufferfish.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33But if your size is set,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37why not hang out in a big whiskery posse like our catfish?
0:20:37 > 0:20:41For pure individuality, you can't beat the dressing up decorator crab,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45as he adds yet another bit of random weed to his outfit.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51Still, it fools his predators, so who cares if he looks a bit daft?
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Unlike the pygmy seahorses.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56They look so similar to their surroundings,
0:20:56 > 0:21:01you can't even find them. Now, that is coral mimicry to the extreme.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02So, who's up next?
0:21:08 > 0:21:11And to the left, and to the right.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13OK, your turn.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Spot the weed that is really swaying in the breeze,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18and the fish that is pretending to sway in the breeze.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22They're all pretty convincing. I'd say the one in the middle.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Correct. Meet the ghost pipefish.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32The name says it all. They look like pipes and move like ghosts.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35They do look eerily like they're just hovering in thin air,
0:21:35 > 0:21:36like a ghost.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38But they have to move like that.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40What would be the point of looking so weed-like
0:21:40 > 0:21:42if they zoomed around the reef?
0:21:42 > 0:21:47Talking of weed...why did the pufferfish blush? Cos the sea weed!
0:21:47 > 0:21:49It did a wee!
0:21:50 > 0:21:55- Let's pretend that never happened. Back to the ghost pipefish.- OK.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00They're brilliant impersonators, and are also related to seahorses,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03which explains their weird floaty moves.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06You're telling me! How do they do other stuff, like feed,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09if they have to stay weed-like the whole time?
0:22:09 > 0:22:11When they're upside down, they can view their food better,
0:22:11 > 0:22:12and they can suck it up
0:22:12 > 0:22:15while hanging around pretending to be seaweed.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17So another super smart impersonating con.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20If only we had that skill, things would be so much easier.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Like the pygmy seahorse, the weedy ghost pipefish
0:22:24 > 0:22:28can impersonate their environment, right down to their floaty moves.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31So the pygmy seahorse and ghost pipefish are linked
0:22:31 > 0:22:33because they're both great impersonators.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43- Wow, it's a thin fish army.- They do move like stormtroopers, don't they?
0:22:46 > 0:22:48Now a bit of formation dancing. And why not?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50And what's more,
0:22:50 > 0:22:51they're swimming upright.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Which is why they look like puppets dangling from invisible string.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59And now you can hardly see them. What are we talking about here?
0:22:59 > 0:23:01These are razorfish.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Razor-like body, razor-like name.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10They are cool. I like them.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12But surely they're not conmen?
0:23:12 > 0:23:15They certainly are, but they're cool conmen.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19They have a few con tricks up their sleeves, so they're quite chilled.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21I guess a razor mouth is one of them.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24It helps, but they are masters of disguise.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28They can make themselves look super-thin, almost invisible.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Their long body and sharp spine
0:23:31 > 0:23:33allows them to hide in similar-looking animals,
0:23:33 > 0:23:34like the sea urchin.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36Oh, yeah. Where have they gone?
0:23:37 > 0:23:42And their vertical swimming style allows them to sneak up on their food
0:23:42 > 0:23:45in a weird, silent, bobbing way.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48- But they can swim normally. - That's another of their tricky ways.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52They can swim like normal fish, but choose not to.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55If they swim head down, they can hide and ambush their prey,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57so why do anything else?
0:23:57 > 0:23:59This upside down thing's catching on.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01- The ghost pipefish liked it, too. - Exactly!
0:24:01 > 0:24:04So, like the ghost pipefish,
0:24:04 > 0:24:08the razorfish choose to hang out upside down in the name of disguise.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16- ANGLERFISH:- It's a bit breezy!
0:24:16 > 0:24:19I'm getting blown away!
0:24:21 > 0:24:23That was close.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26These flipping frog feet are useless.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Luckily, I have a cunning plan.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Most people call me the frogfish,
0:24:31 > 0:24:36and tend to laugh at my unusual appearance and bad hair.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40But I'm also known in inner circles as the anglerfish.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44I may look like a useless hairy object, but I have a little device
0:24:44 > 0:24:48that has fooled many and earned me my reputation as quite a trickster.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Allow me to demonstrate my in-built fishing rod!
0:24:51 > 0:24:55That's why I'm called the anglerfish. Get it now?
0:24:55 > 0:24:59On the end of my rod is this false worm.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02And you thought it was a real worm!
0:25:02 > 0:25:07That's what my victims fall for every time. Ha-ha-ha!
0:25:07 > 0:25:10What a cunning plan from the anglerfish!
0:25:10 > 0:25:12And to think he looks so useless.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16He's awesome. Surely the ultimate con master.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Camouflage, an almost invisible fishing rod,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22false worm bait and their big, gulping gob.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Foolproof, I'd say.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Like our other con master, the razorfish,
0:25:26 > 0:25:31their stealthy hunting ability means their prey have no chance.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35So, crafty hunting links these two, and the sneaky anglerfish links back
0:25:35 > 0:25:39to the stuffy stonefish, because they're both fishermen con artists.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41What a load of consters!
0:25:41 > 0:25:44I don't think that's a word, but I know what you mean.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Let's look back over our shady scammers.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55We started with the stonefish.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58He pretends to be a stone, so he can snaffle prey out of nowhere.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Like the leafy flatfish.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04But for him, disguise is about blending in to survive.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06I love the sneaky snake eel.
0:26:06 > 0:26:07He's not a poisonous snake at all,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10but pretends to be one so he can swim around unhassled.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Which connects him to our trickster, the leatherjacket,
0:26:13 > 0:26:15that mimics the venomous toby fish,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17knowing that it'll prevent him from being gobbled up.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21Then there's the feisty fangblenny, who pretends to be kind and caring,
0:26:21 > 0:26:24but is actually anything but.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26And you've got nothing to worry about
0:26:26 > 0:26:28if your false eyes confuse your predators
0:26:28 > 0:26:30into thinking you're a crab.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Oops!
0:26:33 > 0:26:36The preposterous pufferfish goes from cute fish to
0:26:36 > 0:26:38scary spiky fish in seconds.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41But if you don't have blow-up powers,
0:26:41 > 0:26:43ganging together can con predators into thinking
0:26:43 > 0:26:47you're one big animal not to be messed with, like our crazy catfish.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51I prefer the dressing up decorator crab.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53At least he uses recycled disguises to hide away.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57But for pure hidden talent, you can't beat the pygmy seahorses,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59so identical to their surroundings,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02they look like a bit of coral, right down to their lumps and bumps.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Like their relative, the ghostly pipefish.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07With their amazing blending skills,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10they can feed on and impersonate seaweed at the same time.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Speaking of upside down, the ridiculous razorfish swim head down,
0:27:14 > 0:27:18so they can hide and sneak up on their food at the same time.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23But none are more cunning than the ultimate conman.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Angler by name, angler by nature.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28The anglerfish trick their victims into thinking it's dinner time
0:27:28 > 0:27:30before it's kaput.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34Barney, you were a rubbish conman compared to that lot.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Here's your homemade unique snorkel back, by the way.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Hey, that is hand-crafted quality.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Well, I'm with you on the snorkel, but that mask is...
0:27:43 > 0:27:46OK, that's just...
0:27:46 > 0:27:49so we'll tape that up, and you're good to go.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51£2. Good deal.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:06 > 0:28:08E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk