<p>Shallow water coral reefs in many parts of the world are experiencing phase shifts due to various disturbances, resulting in increases in the abundance of non-scleractinian taxa, including soft corals (Octocorallia). Soft corals are known to have varied ecological roles, such as serving as habitat and food source for different organisms. However, limited studies in only a few regions have examined how different fish species utilize soft corals. In this note, we report on the different behaviors of reef fishes towards soft corals on sarcophytid soft coral-dominated reefs of Okinawa Island, Japan. We also compared the frequency of interactions of reef fishes with soft corals of varying colony morphologies. Different behaviors such as hovering over soft corals, sheltering, swimming around and through soft coral interstices, epiphyte feeding, territory defense, and cleaning behaviors were observed. Results also showed that interactions of reef fishes were higher in structurally complex branching colonies when compared to encrusting colonies of soft corals. The results of this study highlight the potential of soft corals as habitats for reef fishes, and suggest potential effects of the dominance of different soft coral taxa with different morphotypes. This study adds to our knowledge of fish behavior on and around “other” reef benthic fauna other than stony corals, which is especially important given that many reefs are undergoing shifts towards dominance of non-scleractinian taxa.</p>