A pair of Cornetfishes glide over the rocks off the Kohala coast.
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Category Archives: Fish
Fish on the rocks
An Ember Parrotfish swims in the company of a pair of Convict Tangs and a Whitebar Surgeonfish, but it was the bouldered bottom that caught my eye here.
Orangeband Surgeonfish
With some creatures, it’s easy to see how they got their names. The Orangeband Surgeonfish is one of those.
Spotted Pufferfish
On a recent swim I saw this Spotted Pufferfish milling about high in the water. Usually they disappear fairly quickly when approached, but this one didn’t and I was able to get this photo, with the fish’s spots illuminated by the sunlight.
Banded urchin
This Banded Urchin is one that actually looks like its name. The most common long-spined urchin here, it’s generally a uniform dull black. Long-spined urchins provide a refuge for small fish, such as the Bright-eye Damselfish seen scooting for cover here.
Dolphins and turtles, oh my
In the water yesterday, my wife and I had already seen a small turtle, when this pod of Spinner Dolphins suddenly appeared in the somewhat hazy water. Often, dolphin pods travel fast, but are spread out, with mothers and calves bringing up the rear. This one was moving slower, but tightly bunched. I reckon there were at least 40 or 50 in the pod, and in a few minutes they had all gone by, heading south.
A dolphin encounter is always a highlight of any swim, but conditions were so nice, we carried on across the bay. When we turned to head back in, I saw two turtles, almost directly below me, swimming around in a tight circle. When one headed away, the other followed and the circling resumed. I don’t know what they were up to, but they were still doing this routine when we left them.
Well spotted
This Spotted Pufferfish was in the open when I first saw it, but it quickly disappeared under a ledge before I got a photo. I waited though, and sure enough, it couldn’t resist a peek to see if I’d gone.
Saddleback Butterflyfish
Saddleback Butterflyfish are easily identified with their bold and colorful markings. They’re almost always seen in pairs, and have a fairly wide range when it comes to the depths of water they inhabit. They feed mostly on coral polyps and, like Yellow Tangs, don’t do well in captivity.
Graham's Island 