Category Archives: Fish

Reef fish

Many fish make the reef homeA great variety of fish make their home among the rocks and coral on the coast. From the bottom these are: two indo-pacific sergeants, a scrawled filefish, two or three whitebar surgeonfish, and in the background, a number of black triggerfish.

One of the pleasures of snorkeling here is that there’s always something to see and every day is different.

In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.

Juvenile threadfin jack

Juvenile Threadfin Jack

Threadfin Jack Juvenile

 

This little diamond-shaped fish is probably my favorite to see on the reef. The first time I saw one I thought it was a jellyfish, shimmering along with its long filaments wavering behind it. I got a little closer and realized it was actually an extraordinary fish.

The juvenile gives no hint of what it will look like as an adult. It grows to four feet in length, becomes stocky, loses the filaments entirely, and ends up looking like a nightclub bouncer.

It’s always a thrill to see one of these, its little tail thrashing back and forth, hauling the long filaments behind it as it putters through the water.

In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.

Keeltail needlefish

Keeltail NeedlefishWhen snorkeling, the tendency is to look down where numerous reef fish can be seen darting through rocks and coral. Needlefish, on the other hand, are surface swimmers and, as such, can be a little unnerving. Many times I’ve looked up and found myself in the midst of a shoal of needlefish, circling around me. At such times, I try not to think of Custer’s Last Stand.

In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.

Sharpnose mullet

Sharpnose Mullet
I’ve seen this shoal of sharpnose mullets several times, always in the same area. They hang out where a ledge borders deeper water. On this day, breaking surf washed them back and forth over the ledge, along with an assortment of other fish and me if I’m not careful. It’s important to pay attention in these situations as it would be easy to end up in too shallow water and get raked over the coral – not good for it or me. When I got out of the water I met a friend who understood that. He’d had that happen to him just a few days earlier.

In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.

Whitemouth moray eel

Whitemouth Moray Eel

You know how it is with some people? As soon as they open their mouths, you know who they are. The same is true with the whitemouth moray eel. This one is in a fairly typical position, wedged into a crevice with its bright white mouth open. They can look menacing with the head out and mouth opening and closing, but all they’re doing is pumping water over their gills, which is how they breathe.

In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals and his Reef Fish Hawaii – waterproof pocket guide. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.

Moody black triggerfish

Black Triggerfish

The black triggerfish is a common reef fish, not shy about showing how it feels. The top photo shows its usual color, a dark body with bright, pale blue lines along the base of its dorsal and anal fins.

When it gets wound up like the one on the left, bright blue lines appear between the eyes. The more agitated it becomes, the more the blue expands. The one below is clearly not at all happy. I know when I’m not wanted.

In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.

Moorish idol

Moorish Idol

The Moorish idol is one of the easiest fish to identify. Striking colors, striking shape, and no other fish quite like it. This one not only hung around while I was there, but obligingly slid into a patch of sunlight.

In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.

Now you see me, now you don’t

Flowery Flounder

This is a flowery flounder. What do you mean, where? It’s right there, on that rock. Truth is, if you don’t see a flounder moving, then you’re not likely to see it at all. This one was in a shallow area, hopping from rock to rock, in dappled sunlight.

A couple of times I took my eye off it and it took a while to relocate it, even though I knew where it was. Look up for too long and it will flit to a different spot. Good luck finding it them.

I particularly liked it when this fish bent itself over a little ledge in the rock (below). Not just a flatfish then, but a bendy one, too.

In my attempts to identify what I see in the water, I use John P. Hoover’s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, Sea Turtles, Dolphins, Whales, and Seals. His website is hawaiisfishes.com.

Flowery Flounder