At the base of a large antler coral, a pair of butterflyfish that really didn’t want to leave, even when a large and noisy diver is sitting just a few feet away. I love these opportunities, any chance to get a closer shot of a fish that usually swims quickly away when approached.
Tag: fish
Toby
Postcard from the Reef – Devil Scorpionfish
I didn’t spot it this time either. It was Mark who was pointing at the coral. I looked, looked again… Oh! There is something there. The camouflage these fish utilize is impressive, even from quite close they blend amazingly well with the coral and algae. I wonder how many times I have drifted past one of these fish without seeing it.
As Olivier and I got closer to take a few photos, the fish began to walk away. Yes, I said walk. The fish would walk several feet on its pectoral fins then try to sit still and hide again. A truly weird thing, watching a fish walk across the reef.
The Reef Has Eyes
Postcard from the Reef – Bigeye
Shine a dive light into any small cave along a Hawaiian coast and you will see a swirl of red fish… Soldierfish, squirrelfish and bigeyes. They are all some shade of red and all possess large eyes for foraging in the night. During the day these fish shelter in caves, crevices and overhangs. There are a couple dozen species, identifying each is a bit of a challenge…