Monday May 19, 2025
Patch —
Some people don’t think miracles happen, but in the case of the grunion — a small fish exclusive to Southern California beaches — the way it reproduces is nothing short of it.
The California grunion may be an ordinary-looking silver fish, only six to eight inches long. But what makes them unique is that they’re one of the only fish that come out of the water to dig in the sand and lay their eggs.
But, no, they don’t walk or flop out of the water, Jim DePompei, Programs Director of the Cabrillo Beach Aquarium, told Patch.
“They’re in tune with the moon cycles,” DePompei explained. “Around new moons and full moons, tides are extremely high or extremely low. They will come up right after a new moon or a full moon, so they’ll be able to ride the swash zone. They ride that surf as far up the beach as they can.”