
John P. Hoover, in his book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals, describes this fish as “Extremely rare in the Hawaiian Islands.” He speculates that the ones seen here are waifs that drift in, possibly from Johnston Atoll, some 860 miles southwest of the Big Island, where they are known to occur.
These fish live in the surge zone of rocky shores and the only reason I saw this one was thanks to a tip from a fellow snorkeler.

It’s a nice bright find. Did you venture further afield, then?
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No, the fish came here. The name comes from the Phoenix Islands which is where the fish is presumed to have been first seen.
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Well I hope that’s a good omen.
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A wonderful chance encounter Graham
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I saw it a few times, but not lately. It might have moved on.
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I guess that what fish do
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Some fish spend their entire lives in a tiny area, while others travel far and wide. It’s a mix.
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