The surgeon fishes are named for the extremely sharp spines that are located near the base of these fishes' tails, on either side. This family includes Tangs and Unicornfish.
| SURGEON FISHES :
The surgeon fishes are named for the extremely sharp spines that are located near the base of these fishes' tails, on either side. This family includes Tangs and Unicornfish. |
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Some other Surgeonfishes we saw but didn't get snapshots of included the Goldring Surgeonfish (this guy's in some of the "group shots"), the Convict Tang (you can see him hanging out with the Ornate Butterflyfish in the Butterflyfish section), the Orangeband Surgeonfish, the Eye striped Surgeonfish, and the Whitebar Surgeonfish. | |
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MOORISH IDOLS :
The Moorish Idol is the only species in its family, and it is closely related to the Surgeonfish. We saw these at almost every snorkel location, often in groups of two or three. You can also see them in a photo with a Trumpetfish further down the page. |
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| TRIGGERFISH :
The Triggerfish have a dorsal spine that can be raised when a larger fish tries to swallow them. This family includes Hawaii's State fish, the Picasso triggerfish, or Humuhumu-nukunuku-a-pua'a. Say THAT three times fast! This fish's name means "fish with the snout of a pig". We were also lucky enough to see one or two Pinktail Durgeon Triggerfish, which are similar to the Black Durgeon Triggerfish with the exception of having translucent fins and a whitish-pink tail. |
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| WRASSES :
Wrasses are among the more common Hawaiian reef fish. Some of the more interesting species are the Yellowtail Coris whose juveniles look much different in colouration than the adult (you can spot the adult in the shot of the Yellowfin Goatfish further down the page), and the Cleaner Wrasse, a tiny, brilliant yellow and purple Wrasse that feed on parasites on other fish. We didn't get a shot of the Saddle Wrasse, but these were common and friendly at fishbowl - a little TOO friendly as they seemed very interested in the toes of snorkelers just getting into the water. |
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| PARROTFISH :
Parrotfish are some of the largest and most brilliantly coloured fishes found around Hawaii's reefs. If you listen carefully while snorkeling amongst Parrotfish, you can often hear them using their strong beaklike mouths to scrape algae off the coral. | ||
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| BUTTERFLYFISH :
Butterflyfish are some of the most colourful and easy to identify fish found in Hawaii's waters. Many species mate for life and as a result it is very common to find these fish in pairs. Some of the less common species we were lucky to spot on our latest trip include the Saddleback Butterflyfish and the Lined Butterflyfish. | ||
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| MORAY EELS :
Moray Eels can be found hiding amongst the crevices of the coral reef. The species we were lucky to see at Ulua and Fishbowl was the Whitemouth Moray Eel, easily identified by its white spots and open white mouth as it rests in its lair. If startled, the Moray Eel will gracefully undulate to a new hiding spot. | ||
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When looking for Moray Eels, keep your eyes peeled for Peacock Groupers, as these species are often found together. These large fish with irridescent blue fins were usually our first indication that Eels were nearby. |  |
| Here are some pictures of other fish we saw, as well as a couple of shots of the beautiful coral. The needlefish were found near the surface at Black Rock and Ulua, and it was possible to get very close to them. The large Stripebelly Pufferfish was a frequent companion at Ulua. These guys almost seemed to follow you around as you visited the reef. Another large, slow-moving fish is the Scribbled Filefish with its bright violet markings. At Black Rock we got shots of a school of Sergeant Major Damselfish as well as the related Whitespot Damselfish. Schools of Yellowfin Goatfish we found near the sandy bottom at the Kameole beaches and other locations, whereas the strange Trumpetfish was only to be found at Fishbowl. | ||
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| Some of the other species we saw but didn't get photos of included a pair of Spotted Trunkfish (male was bright blue and black, while the female was brown and white), a Whitespotted Pufferfish, a Hawaiian Pufferfish, a Pacific Gregory Damselfish, and from the shore at Fishbowl we spotted a camouflage Stocky Hawkfish. | ||
| Don't forget to take some pictures of your snorkel buddies too! | ||
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