Moorish Idols are one of the most easily identified fish around here, with their distinctive colors, markings, and shape. These juveniles lack the long filament on their dorsal fins, but otherwise have typical appearance. Moorish Idols are considered of the smartest reef fishes.
This week’s Friendly Friday challenge theme is ‘Something Fishy.’ See more responses here.
This seemed like a good opportunity to post a gallery of some of the fish I see when I snorkel around here. Most are brightly colored or have distinctive markings.
Also posted in response to Becky’s April Squares challenge theme of ‘Bright.’ See more responses here.
I came across this group of young moorish idols meandering through a crack in the rocks and liked how the location accentuated their narrow but curvy look.
A moorish idol foraging for food. These quite common fish are easy to identify because of their bold patterns, strong colors, and distinctive shape with a tapering head and long snout.
A pair of moorish idols swim in shallow water at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park.
This whitemouth moray eel appeared to startle these fish, a lei triggerfish, yellow tang, moorish idol and whitespotted surgeonfish. However, it kept going, sliding into and out of cracks as eels do, until it settled between a couple of coral heads.
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.
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.
Graham's Island 