Hawaiian fish pairs, associations and aggregations

Whitesaddle Goatfish

Whitesaddle Goatfish (Parupeneus porphyreus), a Hawaiian endemic fish, schooling off a reef at Maui, Hawaii.

Four predators approach

I looked up towards the surface to see four predators approaching, three Bluefin Trevalley (Caranx melampygus) and one Giant Trevalley a.k.a Ulua (Ulua aukea), while scuba diving off the backwall of Molokini Crater, Hawaii.

Blue-eye Damselfish (Plectroglyphiododon johnsonianus)

A pair of Blue-eye Damselfish (Plectroglyphiododon johnsonianus) next to a Molokini Crater reef near Maui, Hawaii.

Brick and Bigscale soldierfishes

Brick and Bigscale soldierfishes aggregated (Myripristiis amaena and M. berndti) under a ledge at Molokini Crater, Maui, Hawaii.

Pennant Butterfyfish

I Looked up to observe Pennant Butterfyfish (Heniochus diphreutes) feeding on zooplankton with surf forming the background off the backwall of Molokini Crater near Maui Island, Hawaii.

Bigscale and Epaulette soldierfish in and near a crevice

Bigscale and Epaulette soldierfish (Myripristis berndti and kuntee) and a few other fish cluster in and near a crevice under a submgered sponge and coraline algae encrusted lava boulder off Molokini Crater near Maui, Hawaii, USA.

Eyestripe Surgeonfish (Acanthurus dussumieri)

A group of Eyestripe Surgeonfish (Acanthurus dussumieri) feeding near a reef on the Kona coast, Hawaii.

Hawaiian Saddle Wrasse approach to clean a Reef Manta Ray of parasites

Endemic Hawaiian Saddle Wrasse (Thalassoma duperrey) approach to clean a Reef Manta Ray a.k.a Coastal Manta Ray (Mobula (formerly Manta) alfredi) of parasites at a reef cleaning station off the Kona coast, Hawaii.

Agile Chromis schooling over Finger Coral

Agile Chromis (Chromis agilis) schooling over Finger Coral (Porites compressa).

Taking turns at cleaning station

Taking turns at a Kona, Hawaii cleaning station. A Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides phthirophagus) attends to the dorsal fin of an Ornate Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ornatissimus) turned on its side while its putative mate, a Forceptsfish (Forcipiger flavissimus), and a Manybar Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) wait their turns.

Racoon Butterflyfish pair

Racoon Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) pair foraging near a lava rock reef encrusted with life at Kona, Hawaii.

Hawaiian Garden Eels

Hawaiian Garden Eels (Gorgasia hawaiienesis), an endemic fish species off the Big Island, Hawaii.

Hawaiian Dascyllus and Bicolor Anthias

Hawaiian Dascyllus (Dascyllus albisella) and Bicolor Anthias (Pseudanthias bicolor) hover over a dead coral head.

Four Racoon Butterfyfish swim by

Four Racoon Butterfyfish (Chaetodon lunula) swim by as a group.

Mackerel Scad

Mackerel Scad (Decapterus macarellus).

Juvenile surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae)

Juvenile surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae): two Thompson's Surgeonfish (Acanthurus thompsoni) with one Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens).

Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse searches for parasites in the mouth of a Reef Manta Ray

While a Hawaii Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides phthirophagus) searches for parasites in its mouth, a Reef Manta Ray (Mobula (formerly Manta) alfredi) hovers over a reef cleaning station off the Kona Coast, the Big Island, Hawaii, USA during the summer. This particular female manta with a missing left cephalic lobe has been observed by divers and snorkelers at Kona since 2001 is named Koi Ray.

Schooling Bluestripe Snapper

Schooling Bluestripe Snapper (Lutjanus kasmira).

Milletseed Butterflyfish

Closeup of a Milletseed Butterflyfish (Chaetodon citrinellus) in a tight school off Kaui, Hawaii, USA during the spring.

Schooling Whitebar Surgeonfish swim by.

Schooling Whitebar Surgeonfish (Acanthurus leucopareius) swim by.

Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse maneuvering around an Ornate Butterflyfish

Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides phthirophagus) maneuvering around an Ornate Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ornatissimus) that is poised against a life-encrusted lava wall waiting to be cleaned.

Juvenile Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse approaching a Yellowmargin Moray Eel

Juvenile Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides phthirophagus) approaching a Yellowmargin Moray Eel (Gymnothorax flavimarginatus).

Hawaian Cleaner Wrasse at a cleaning station

Hawaian Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides phthirophagus) by Yellowfin Goatfish (Mulloidichthys vanicolensis) waiting at a cleaning station off the Kona coast, The Big Island, Hawaii, USA.

Yellowstripe Goatfish schooled up off the Kona coast

Yellowstripe Goatfish schooled (Mulloidichthys flavolineatus) up off the Kona coast, The Big Island, Hawaii, USA.

Ornate Butterfyfish pair

Close-up of an Ornate Butterfyfish (Chaetodon ornatissimus) pair photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island during the spring.

Saddleback Butterfyfish pair

A Saddleback Butterfyfish (Chaetodon ephippium) pair photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island.

Saddleback Butterfyfish pair

A Saddleback Butterfyfish (Chaetodon ephippium) pair photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island.

Juvenile Saddle Wrasse

Juvenile Saddle Wrasse (Thalassoma duperrey) photographed while scuba diving the Kona coast, Hawaii Island.