Diving the Kona Coast: ringtail wrasse

Showing posts with label ringtail wrasse. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Toothy Wrasse

ringtail wrasse Oxycheilinus unifasciatus

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

We all tend to make generalizations about animal behavior as we like things to be neat and tidy and predictable. This is useful as it conditions us to think about what we can expect when we interact with nature. This type of thinking has probably served to allow our species to prosper as it kept cavemen from trying to pet the wild bears back in the day.

However, animals can exhibit some individualism, as well. Wrasses tend to be fast-moving swimmers that have almost no interest in associating with divers. The ringtail wrasse (Oxycheilinus unifasciatus) is a toothy predator that often hovers motionless over the reef waiting for prey to approach. The presence of a human interloper usually sends the wrasse off in search of more peaceful hunting grounds. But recently, at Keauhou Bay, I was swimming along when I saw a ringtail in the distance abruptly change course and start swimming casually toward me. I was certain it would change course again before coming very close, but such was not the case.

The fish studied me coldly and dispassionately for a few seconds, angling its body around as to get a good look. I got a clear impression of curiosity on the creature's part. This, of course, afforded me the opportunity to fire off several good shots of the wrasse. When it all was over, the fish swam serenely away as did I. I had my photos and the wrasse had whatever thoughts he might have to muse over.

Friday, January 13, 2012

New Year's Day Dive

Betty and I arrived at Honaunau Bay bright and early on New Year's Day to be the first SCUBA divers there in 2012. We were in the water by a few minutes past 7AM.

The water was a little cold with an average temperature of about 73 to 74F. At one point, both of our computers read 69F.

Because of a bad fiber-optic cable connection, my strobe wasn't firing so I had to rely on the camera's built-in flash which is pretty weak. But I managed to get some decent shots like this one of a Bandit Angelfish.

Bandit's aren't rare but they are uncommon. I considered this a good start to diving in 2012!

Several cleaning stations were quite busy for so early in the morning. I snapped this Ornate Butterflyfish at one such station. The cleaner wrasse is in the far side of this fish.

This Barred Filefish was also getting cleaned and held up his dorsal "trigger" so the wrasse could clean around it.

We were also lucky enough to catch this Day Octopus out in the open. This is the time of year that I've noticed a lot of mating activity among the octos.

At one point, the octopus blanched. I probably got too close for it to feel comfortable.

I took this picture of a male longfin anthias on the second dive when the cable was re-attached to the strobe.

Photo 2012 by Barry Fackler

This lurid Ringtail Wrasse was comfortable under a deep rock. There was also an Undulated Moray under there with it.

And that's the way it was on New Years Day for us. Hope your year is off to a good start also!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Dive Report for Sunday 12/13/2009

Perfect conditions above and below the surface on this fine Sunday morning. Despite ginormous surf on some of the other Hawaiian islands, there was hardly a ripple at Honaunau Bay. Visibility was easily 100' and the surface was glassy. Today was not to be a day of major sightings with no dolphins, rays or sharks to be found. Just beautiful conditions and colorful tropical fish frolicking in the water.

On the first dive I went to 81' and headed south. After a little while , I came up to the reef top and explored inside a small cave where I found this Common Bigeye (aweoweo in Hawaiian). These dark red fish are nocturnal and seek shelter in caves or under ledges during the day. This fish is identical to the Hawaiian Bigeye except its tail fin is convex, where the Hawaiian Bigeye's is concave.

On the first dive I also saw a couple of honu. One was sleeping under a ledge but the other one was cruising along just under the surface. This gave me the opportunity to get a couple turtle "belly shots". These are always fun because, when the surface is calm, it looks like the turtle is flying through the air.

On the second dive I went to 55' where I came across this pack of juvenile Blue Goatfish. Most goatfish probe the bottom with their barbels which they use to locate the invertebrates they feed on. Blue Goatfish, however, prey on small fish and use their barbels to flush prey from crevices in the coral. They usually hunt in small, loose schools like this, often in the company of other predators hoping to seize a fish that the goats flushed out.

Our little colony of Pyramid Butterflyfish remains intact and as happy as butterflyfish can be!

There were several schools of young Black Durgon on the reef today as well. The younger individuals have fine blue lines on the body and a green blush to the face. As they mature they become more uniformly black except for the bluish-white lines along the dorsal and anal fins.

Ringtail Wrasses, like this one, usually hover in midwater waiting to strike at potential prey. They have impressive canine teeth that often protrude from the mouth. This one was acting peculiarly, lying on the bottom and tucked in among the coral. When I drew closer to investigate, it rocketed out of its shelter and swam off.

It was a really nice day of diving with the reef providing a good showing of its bright and beautiful residents.

Diving the Kona Coast