Fiji – December 2022

^^ Fiji Anemonefish (Amphiprion barberi)

This was my second time in Fiji and I will go back! The island and its reefs are spectacular, the people are friendly, and the vibe is ultra-chill, even by island standards. Since this post is about Fiji, I thought it only appropriate to start off with the Fiji Anemonefish, a type of damsel fish. Many species of damsels are known for being quite opinionated, and they aren’t scared of anything, even though they are only 4-6″ long. If damsels were the size of sharks, no one would dare go in the water.

On our first shore dive, my dive buddy found this gorgeous Thorny Seahorse (Hippocampus histrix). My buddy named her Ruby, cuz she don’t take her love to town.

Next is a Clown Triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillum). I’ve only seen these rarely, so it was fun to get close enough to grab a decent shot.

One of my favorite species is the Longnose Filefish (Oxymonacanthus longirostris), below. These guys, a couple inches long, hang out in pairs or small groups around a certain species of coral.

I spotted a Helmut Gurnard (Dactyloptena orientalis) on another shore dive. These are rarely seen and this one took off immediately as soon as we saw each other, leaving me time to grab only one shot. Sometimes you see them walking along the bottom, but when they decide to use those wings to glide, they can move fast.

My buddy caught my eye and pointed out this little guy, a Dwarf Hawkfish (Cirrhichthys falco), another of my favorites. He packs a lot of style into a small package, at only 2″ long, giving off an aquatic punk rocker vibe.

And finally, no dive of mine would be complete without something so tiny it is barely visible to the naked eye, which is the super cool shrimp below. This is some type of Commensal Shrimp, I believe, possibly Cuapetes sp.5. He was about 1/4″ long.

This post is getting long, but Fiji has vast diversity, including many species of butterfly and angel fish. I’ve included a selection of a few of my favorites in the gallery below:

And, finally, a gallery of more favorites of various species: