Maui Snorkeling Trips

Photo Courtesy Dr. John Randall

The pipefish are a cousin to the seahorse.  According to Dr. Randall, they are so closely related that the pipefish is almost like a long seahorse.  Both have their bodies encased with bony rings, instead of a spine like other fish.  The redstripe (above photo) and the bluestripe pipefish have both been observed cleaning other fish, including the mouths of eels!  They have a very small gill opening and are often observed hanging motionless, hovering over reefs.  They eat small crustaceans, such as copepods, with a quick sucking motion.  

Reproduction is very bizarre.  The female deposits the eggs into a ventral pouch on the male.  (“I don’t want to do it, YOU do it!”)  On the pipefish, the pouch can run about 1/3 of the body length, even more.  The male will carry the eggs several weeks until they hatch.  There is no parental care, and the many little ones will most likely drift away on currents.

Finding these odd animals is quite possible while snorkeling in Hawaii.  The SNUBA or snorkeler just needs to be very aware and observant.  The pipefish are seen in Molokini and many other places. Look for splashes of color and hold still.  Become one with the reef.

Photo Courtesy Hawaii.edu/Photo Courtesy John Hoover

The Hawaiian stingray, brown ray, broad ray, or lupe in Hawaiian, is an endemic ray found in shallow or deeper waters.  On O`ahu,  Kane`ohe bay, researchers believe is a ‘pupping’ ground for the rays who have chosen that particular spot, of many, to give birth.  Stingrays, a cousin to the shark, are an elasmobranch.  Since they are bottom dwellers and like to bury in the sand when they rest, nature put their uterus on top, at the base of the body.  A pregnant ray looks like she has a growth on her back.  They are live bearers, giving birth to 1 – 3 pups after gestation of about 1 year.  The little ones come out looking very much like a long burrito, unfurl and take off, miniatures of their moms and completely on their own.

The Hawaiian name lupe, means kite.  In ancient Hawaii, they made kites in four shapes.  Round (sun), crescent (moon), wings on the side (bird), and European styles.  Research could not produce any record of the Hawaiians eating the rays, but it is possible.

This specie of ray seems to prefer shrimp, crabs, gobies, types of fish that bury at night, and polychaete worms.  Divers and avid snorkelers know how to tell if a ray has been feeding in the area.  You look for the large “dimples” in the sea floor.  When the rays excavate they blow, moving great clouds of sand to expose the prey.  According to research they rarely return to the same places for resting.  Hammerhead sharks are known for pursuing and taking down small rays.  The stingrays are not without defense and aptly named.  On top of their tails, about halfway down they have 1 – 3 barbs.  The barbs (made of modified dermal denticles) are covered with a skin-like sheath and underneath the sheath is a neurotoxin.  When frightened, or feeling threatened, they will whip their tail toward the threat.  Should it make contact the barb could break off, the neurotoxin embedded in the victim, and the ray is free to swiftly depart, hopefully safe to live another day.  The barbs, if used, do regrow, but according to researchers it takes quite awhile.  What a magnificent animal this shy one is!  Coming to Hawaii promises many things.  Spending time with your marine life is a must!  See you soon!!

Photo Courtesy Dr. John Randall

They are incredibly shy and really cute!  The Hawaiian garden eel ,or Puhi in Hawaiian, is an eel who prefers to hide in sandy substrates 35-175 feet deep.  They are a light, greenish grey with small brownish yellow spots.  Their bodies are extremely elongate and can reach a length of about 2 feet.  These beauties are zooplankton eaters who prefer to feed diurnally.  I have not seen them as a diver but know many divers who have had the pleasure of sneaking up on them while doing the ‘belly crawl’ in order to obtain the valuable photo.  The above picture was taken off Kona, and as you can see, they live in large colonies, but if they become aware of the diver, or SNUBA person, they will quickly retract, tail first and disappear.  According to Dr. Randall these eels may well be endemic to Hawaii.  There is a well known colony that lives outside Molokini, one off Lana’i, and yet another off Olowalu, just to name a few.

So, what eats these eels?  Many types of fish would take the shy ones if given the opportunity.  Hammerhead sharks would certainly welcome this meal as would the stingray.  With these eels large staring eyes and quick reflexes, one can’t help but love them.  Bring your cameras, we’re going in!

Photo Courtesy Hawaiifishes.com

This fish is really adorable!  Research could find no Hawaiian name, but that possibly could be because this fish likes the water deep as it is a sponge eater and sponges do better in waters less turbid, so the ancient Hawaiians may have not caught and eaten this one.  If we’re able to locate any information, it will most certainly be posted.  This fish is ENDEMIC, i.e. lives in Hawaii only.  According to researchers, the fish that created this species are now extinct, making this cute one even more special.

Coming to Hawaii?  The average snorkeler could get to see this fish if they were to keep a watchful eye.  Around some islands it is spotted in shallow reefs.  I love the shiny black eye that blends with the bandit stripe.  They have small mouths with brush-like teeth.  Angelfishes are diurnal.  According to Dr. Randall, some (maybe all), are protogynous hermaphodites, i.e. they begin their mature lives as females then later change to males.  In some species there are dramatic color changes as well.

While snorkeling in Hawaii, camera in hand, try to always remain quiet and calm.  You never know what awaits you around each reef!

Photo Courtesy Dr. Randall; Birds By John Gerrard Keulemans

The ancient Hawaiians gave this fish the name mamo, which is the same name as a Hawaiian honeycreeper bird that had black feathers and yellow above and below the tail.  The bird was a highly prized one used in the choicest featherwork.  The fish was an important food item and was eaten raw, salted and dried, or cooked in a myriad of ways.  The Hawaiian Sergeant is plentiful in Hawaiian waters and can be seen almost anywhere.  When snorkeling out at Molokini, you are most certain to see this cute little face hanging out with friends and curiously peering back at you.

The mamo is in the damselfish family and lives usually in shallow water on coral reefs or rocky substrata.  Most species feed heavily on algae and are very territorial.  It is really interesting to note they will ‘weed’ their territories of undersirable algae, according to Dr. Randall.  Some species of damselfish also feed on zooplankton and may be seen in small schools.  One species will feed on coral polyps.  It is the protective males that will guard the eggs until they hatch.

The damselfish family is one of the most abundant of reef fish in Hawaii.  How wonderful to know that someone is doing so well!  They have a small mouth, and according to Dr. Randall, their teeth are conical or incisiform.  In juvenile form, like with many types of fish, they are more brightly colored than the adults and males generally will show a different pattern of color at spawning time.  Other types of damselfish will be discussed in future postings.  When you come to Hawaii, you will not have any trouble locating these cute little ones.  Let’s get wet!

Photo Courtesy Dr. Randall & CreationWiki

The Hawaiians called them mo’o lio.  Mo’o is also the Hawaiian name for lizard.  Mary Pukui, author of many Hawaiian language books has no references to the seahorse, which could very well mean the Hawaiians had no uses for this very mysterious and rare animal to find in the Hawaiian Island chain.  These little critters hang out in grassy areas or hang onto corals, live in pairs or alone and certainly would have no food value.

Seahorses have often been written about and another favorite of mine.  Their bodies are composed of bony rings with skin stretched over them creating a type of armor.  Since there are very strong currents in the worlds oceans, nature gave them a tail to hang onto grasses and seaweeds, or open ocean hanging out in the sargassum.  They have a horse shaped head with a coronet on top that is said to be as individual as fingerprints and cute little mouths that they use to suck in their prey, usually consisting of copepods, brine shrimp, zooplankton, and larvae.  Seahorses appear almost like royalty, very erect and regal.  Used for aquarium trade and hunted by China, Taiwan, Thailand, India, Vietnam, and the Philippeans, they are sold by the thousands to be used for medicinal purposes, making this another animal that could go extinct if something isn’t done soon.

A fun fact is the female and male will have a courtship dance before the female deposits her eggs in the males pouch where he will fertilize anywhere from 10 up to 1400 embryos.  The eggs will incubate up to 6 weeks and be fed nutrition by the male in the form of placental fluid.  This monogamous pair will stay together until one dies, which could be up to 5 years.  Every morning they will do a dance together, intertwining tails to start their day.  The male will eventually experience a type of labor, which consists of very heavy pumping and thrusting until all babies are born and on their own.  Some researchers believe this is done only on a full moon and others say the mating is done on a full moon.

The Hippocampus Kuda, or common seahorse, as it is well known, can change color like so many fish.  Usually seen a bright yellow, it can also be found totally black with a grainy texture or creamy with black spots, all which is done to blend with their surroundings.  According to Dr. Randall, females are often seen as the latter.  They are night feeders.  What eats seahorses?  Predatory fish like filefish, triggerfish, jacks, and others.

Will the average snorkeler see the seahorse?  Probably not.  In all the years I’ve snorkeled and dove I have not seen any, nor have I talked with divers who have.  You can watch a little clip HERE, if you wish.  Although this little animal’s whereabouts remain a mystery it is sure fun going out in the ocean to see what awaits.

Photo Courtesy Fishbase.org

In Australia there are more species of this fish (known as leatherjackets down under) than anywhere else in the world.  According to historians in Hawaii this fish was called lolou, probably because its greenish-white skin resembled the native fan palm.  The fish was used for sorcery because the word lou means to hook, according to Mary Pukui.  The scrawled filefish, as it is known in Hawaii, is also called broom tail by some locals.  From time to time it will fan open the tail looking very much like a whisk broom.  This author also has been told by a local kahu, or Hawaiian priest, that the meat was often toxic so being used for sorcery is what he remembers as a small boy, and told me stories of how this animal’s meat would be fed to someone that needed to be ‘taken out’.  Whether this is fact, or not, it makes for an interesting story.  I have also been told that their skin, which is very rough and leathery, was used as sandpaper by the ancient Hawaiians.  That doesn’t surprise me as it is well known they never wasted anything and found uses for all things available to them.

The scrawled filefish is a real beauty.  It is capable of changing colors at will, most likely used for camouflage, but possibly to communicate to others around and maybe even between sexes.  According to Dr. Randall the male has longer spines on the posterior part of the body.  When I was told this I found myself studying every filefish I could find to see which sex was in front of me.  Also according to research, some are sexually dimorphic.  In Hawaiian waters there are 8 species known, one of which spends their time in very deep water.  They are omnivores, feeding on benthic animal and plant life, but also like to eat sponges, anemones, and fiery things like hydrozoans and gorgonians.  They have amazing teeth that appear to be very sharp and triangular.  When snorkeling look for this fish, which can sometimes be very curious and hold still for that amazing picture moment.  There are several in our local aquarium as well.  To float in the water column and hold very still can be a wonderful educational experience just to watch these animals eat, change colors, open their tails and communicate.  Watch, learn, and enjoy what is in our blue backyard!

Photos Courtesy Fishbase.org

This very bizarre fish is sometimes called ‘angler’ fish because of the modified ‘lure’ attached to the first dorsal spine on their heads, which is used to attract prey close enough to gulp in.  They have a compressed body with a loose scaleless skin, according to Dr. Randall, and may also have wart-like protruberances.  They have extremely large mouths and can gulp in a fish larger than themselves and are a very devious ambush predator.  Their Hawaiian name, unfortunately, has been lost over time.

These fish also have pectoral fins shaped like little hands, with a limb-like elbow joints, their round gill openings just behind, making them look like clumsy old men moving around slowly on the reefs, sitting in waiting on corals or sponges.  Their color is extremely variable, capable of changing to match their surroundings,  (but limited to) red, yellow or black.

Getting a glimpse of these cute little animals (can reach up to 14 inches in length) is a treat, although it is usually SNUBA or SCUBA divers who get lucky enough to obtain pictures.  Since they blend so beautifully, one must be extremely observant and not in a hurry.  Coming to Maui?  Please plan on getting wet.  Take in a snorkel trip and hope to find the unusual.  They’ll be waiting.

Photo Courtesy Fishbase.org

To date, the world fishing record for this gorgeous animal is 50.5 pounds.  This fish is also recorded to reach at least 50 inches.  The Hawaiians called it ulua kihikihi, and undoubtedly, it was a very important game fish to catch, raise, and eat. This fish was also substituted for use in place of human sacrifices when humans were not available, according to Mary Pukui, because of word magic and the meaning of ulua.  Since an ulua replaces a man, ulua also can mean “man, sweetheart”.  

Whether everyone was able to consume this fish, or only royalty is unknown.  This threadfin jack usually lives in deeper waters as an adult, but the juveniles researchers believe mimic jellies and may be in shallows as well as deeper water.  They are predators, feeding on smaller fish.

I love the beauty of these fish and am always looking for them.  Will the snorkeler be able to find them anywhere?  Never say never!  The wonderful thing about snorkeling, diving and traveling on the water in the Pacific is that any animal can be seen at any time!  Cameras ready everyone!  The fun is about to start!!  Your wildlife is waiting.

Photo Courtesy Dr. Jack Randall & Robert Patzner

Many youngsters go into the waters around Maui hoping to see Nemo, and go away very disappointed learning Nemo doesn’t live in Hawaii.  The movie, they are told, was about animals in and around Australian waters.  That is true, but we can give them Nemo’s friend, Gil, the moorish idol.  The moorish idol is often confused with angel fish, but this cute little fish, who looks like he/she has eyelashes, is in a genus all to himself.  They feed mainly on sponges and occasionally on algae.  They stay little, says Dr. Randall, growing to a mere 8 inches.  The ancient Hawaiians called this fish kihikihi, which translated means curves, corners and angular.  Since this fish was small with a compressed body and not much to it, most likely it wasn’t used as a food source, but more importantly, since it eats mainly sponges that would probably make the meat dangerous to consume.

Will the average snorkeler be able to see these beauties?  Absolutely!  In Hawaii around the reefs and out at Molokini, the moorish idol is plentiful.  If one were to hold still and just observe you will watch them cruising all around, adding a beautiful splash of color wherever they go.

Sorry, kids.  Nemo lives in the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere but, fortunately for us all, Gil has made it to Hawaii and hopefully is here to stay!