Wakatobi's House Reef: A Cast of Curious Characters

Walt Stearns · Issue 129, Nov/Dec 2022 · pp. 64–67

Products mentioned: Canon 7D mk II, Tamron 90mm macro, Canon 60mm macro, Nikon D850, Nikon 105mm macro, Nikonos 13mm fisheye, Tokina 10-17mm fisheye, Sea & Sea YS-250 strobes, Retra Prime strobes

the largest species of dartfish, growing to lengths of up to 6 inches. Divers who venture into middle depths of 6 to 15 meters can look for the fire dartfish (Nemateleotris magnifica), which are often found in pairs, and sport a distinctive flame-like coloration from the mid-section to the tail. Deeper still are the decorated dartfish (Nemateleotris decora) which favor the sand-covered shelves and gullies on reef slopes at depths from 15 to 30 meters. Convict Labor The name convict blenny (Pholidichthys leucotaenia) may not seem like a suitable title for this small fish, but these bottom dwellers are quite engineering when it comes to building a burrow. You are most likely to encounter juveniles of this species, as they form schools numbering into the hundreds to swarm the reefs feeding on algae. These youngsters might be mistaken for striped catfish, as they mimic the markings of this h…