Many fishes which inhabit marshes move on and off the marsh surface with the tide. Once they leave the protection of the marsh surface to enter the adjacent tidal creek, they become more susceptible to being eaten by large predators living in creeks. Some marsh-dwelling fishes and shrimps remain on the marsh surface after the tide recedes. They live in potholes and standing pools of water. These common marsh inhabitants include mummichogs and grass shrimp.
Few reptiles live in salt marsh habitats.
Diamond back terrapins are probably the most common species in the marsh, where they lay eggs and forage during high tide. American alligators do occur in brackish salt marshes but are not often found in high salinity marshes. The regularly flooded salt marshes of South Carolina provide excellent habitat for birds, with many places for feeding, reproducing and roosting. Species such as the red-winged black bird alternately eat insects and seeds depending on the season. Other birds, such as herons and egrets, feed on fishes, shrimps and fiddler crabs.