This is a Sgt Major fish and it looks like he is all puckered up for a kiss.
I am not really sure what is going on here.... but I don't think that it is kissing.
He does have the blue tint that the males of this species take on when they are guarding a patch of eggs. So it might have something to do with that.
Or it just might be a random facial expression that was there at the moment that I tripped the shutter.
One of the many cleaner shrimp that we see along the reef.... this one is a Pedersen Cleaner Shrimp.
Transparent bodies with purple markings.
They live in association with a variety of different anemones.... but mostly the corkscrew variety that you can also see in this pixture.
They wave their long white antennae and sway their bodies to attract client fish.... that they will then clean, inside and out of the parasites that collect on their bodies and in their mouths.
Here comes a Bearded Fireworm. He has crawled across the sandy bottom and is now climbing up a coral head to continue his journey.
The do have a fleshy beard-like appendage on their head and their body is adorned with white bristles and red filament tufts.
To me, it seems like he has to be some distant relation to a caterpillar.... but he is nothing to be picked up like you might do a fuzzy caterpillar.
The "fire" is his name refers to the painful sting that he will deliver if you come in contact with those white bristles.
Ridged Cactus Coral are members of the fleshy corals family.
The ridged pattern as wells as the height and depth of the valleys will vary according to environmental conditions
They are typically shades of gray, green or brown with the ridges usually being contrasting shades or colors.
The ridges may appear to be fleshy, as this is where the tentacles will extend from when they are feeding.
We see Vase Sponges all the time when we dive.
Most of the time they are just that, a vase sponge doing the things that a vase sponge does.... which is not much other than look pretty and pink.
But we have gotten into the habit a having a look inside.... because sometimes there is a party going on.
This party was attended by an Arrowcrab and a Gobe.
This is a Barred Hamlet.... the most common of the Hamlet family.
They are typically 3-4 inches long and like to inhabit the reef.... staying near the bottom within a limited territory.
Here is an Orange Spotted Filefish.
Where are the spots you ask? Lean in and squint just a bit and you will seem them. Kind of faint on this particular guy.... but they are there within the stripes.
They generally inhabit rocky reefs for rubble strewn bottoms.... occasionally even areas of seagrasses or algae.
They are not very concerned by divers and will often allow a close approach.
This fancy fellow is a member of the Flatworm family.... a Leopard Flatworm.
Their base color is reddish purple to brown with numerous black-ringed orange or yellow spots
They are strong swimmers.
As I remember it this one was on the move along the bottom when we spotted him and crossing a coral head, which made a nice background for the pixture.
Here comes a Hermit Crab.
I don't very often see anything of them but their legs. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen any part of them but their legs and their eyes.
But as you can see their legs are pretty noticeable and good looking.
Here comes a Goldentail Moray weaving his way through the coral heads.
Found in areas of seagrass and other plant growth.... they are known to forage during the day.
Like all eels they constantly open and close their mouths.... but this is an action necessary for respiration not a move of aggression.
Elkhorn is a coral that prefers areas where the water surges.... usually in depths between 3 and 20 ft.
It is known to be one of the faster growing corals.... under optimal conditions and colony can grow as much as 5-6 inches per year.
Colonies are highly variable with regards to pattern and appearance but all are yellow to brown in color.
They are often quite imposing to look at.... but are also very fragile.
My favorite dive buddy, Lydia.... posing next to the old (sailing days I think) anchor that we visit when we dive Karpata on Bonaire.
As I remember the story, the bay at Karpata was used by the ships that took on cargo and/or off-loaded cargo for the aloe plantations that operated on the north end of the island, in days of old.
I am sure that the intention was to raise the anchor and take it with them when they left.... but apparently that didn't always work out.
When we first began diving this site (20+yrs ago) you could see two anchors here. This one standing upside down against the reef.... and laying down in a little deeper water below it.
But corals grow, which is a good thing.... and the one that was laying down is no longer visible.
This tiny, tiny, tiny fellow is a Roughhead Blenny.
I am not even sure I can describe to you how small they really are.... but let's try.
Look at the pinky finger on one of your hands. Now imagine something that is about 1/3 as wide as the nail on that hand.... that would be about the width of this guy.
We usually find them in a small hole that looks as if it was drilled into the coral or even the cement blocks that are often used for moorings around the docks of a resort. These holes are actually abandoned worm hole.s
The Blenny likes to perch at the mouth of the whole with their head extended. They will occasionally dart out to grab bits of food suspended in the water column.
I have never seen one of these darts, so I don't know how long they are.... but I bet it is not very.
