Tag Archives: Surgeonfish

One of these fish is not a convict tang

A cigar wrasse swims among a shoal of convict tang.
Shoals of convict tang are common in the near-shore waters of the Big Island and it’s equally common to see a bright yellow female cigar wrasse among them. The theory is that the cigar wrasse uses the cover of the harmless shoal to surprise its prey, a variety of marine invertebrates. Seems like the cigar wrasse’s prey does not have real good eyesight.

Abstracts: Queen’s Bath fish

Fish swim in an anchialine pond at the Queen’s Bath in Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park.
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, just north of Kailua Kona, contains a feature known as the Queen’s Bath. This is an anchialine pond, containing a mix of freshwater and saltwater. Freshwater seeps into the pond from rainfall. Saltwater infiltrates through cracks in the lava. Because of this, the water level rises and falls with the tide. I can verify this as I took this, and other photos, sitting on a rock near the water’s edge. Just before I left, I realized my feet were now resting in water, the level having risen.

Anchialine ponds are unique ecosystems and this one contained several fish including these two. The one in the back is a convict tang. Not sure what the other one is. What I liked about the pond is the stained glass effect it created.

For more information about Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, go to bigislandhikes.com/kaloko-honokohau-park/.

Hawaiian flagtails

Hawaiian flagtails and achilles tangs in shallow surging water
Hawaiian flagtails are night feeders, but by day they congregate in shallow areas with a lot of surge as a protection against predators. This shoal was swooshing back and forth in the company of several achilles tang.

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.

Orangeband Surgeonfish and Yellow Tang

Orangeband Surgeonfish swim in a shoal of Yellow Tang
Various kinds of surgeonfish and wrasse often join shoals of yellow tang (which are also surgeonfish). These are orangeband surgeonfish. Up close, the orange band looks like the bold application of a thick layer of paint.

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 on the move

A whitemouth moray eel with a lei triggerfish, yellow tang, moorish idol and whitespotted surgeonfish.A Whitemouth Moray Eel between two coral heads.
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.