Ornate Butterflyfish

The ORNATE BUTTERFLYFISH (called kikakapu) is a type of butterflyfish that's primarily cream colored with black bars on its face and orange lines running diagonally along the body, lined in black. 

They are almost always seen in pairs, and they live solely on live coral.  They will tolerate other fish in their territory except other ornate butterflyfish.

Despite eating live coral and coral mucus, they don't appear to be harming or destroying coral communities.  Because of their diet, they do not last in captivity, even in tanks with live coral - it's not enough to sustain them properly. 

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Rockmover Wrasse

The ROCKMOVER WRASSE (also called Dragon Wrasse because of its juvenile stage) is one of the most unusual fish in Hawaii.  

Juvenile fish have filamentous fins and sway and twist in the wind that resemble seaweed.  They're typically shades of brown with white marks on each scale. 

As they mature, they lose the fin filament and become dark brown with white marks on each tail.  Large adults are bottom dwellers, often overturning rocks searching for invertebrate pray. 

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Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby

The HAWAIIAN WHITESPOTTED TOBY is a tiny pufferfish, usually less than 4” long with an elongated snout.  It is brown with white spots covering its entire body.  The spots on the head tend to show a slight green fluorescence.  These fish are normally found in pairs with no obvious “favorite” spot – they’re found in areas ranging from sandy bottoms, full coral coverage to silty areas.  

Toby with parasitic worms.

If you find one that looks extremely fat with a distended abdomen, it is not pregnant, but rather is filled with parasitic worms (nematodes). 

Although they will shy away from divers, they are known for stealthily swimming up to other fish and nipping at their fins leaving a cookie cutter shape cut-out on the fins.  They also nip at the skin of resting sea turtles, particularly those with tumor growths.  If you see a turtle flinching while taking a nap, it’s most likely because it was just nipped at by this toby.  

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Flagtail Tilefish

The FLAGTAIL TILEFISH (called maka'a) is often seen in pairs, swimming by rippling their anal and dorsal fins.  Because they're able to swim so efficiently and quickly, predators have a hard time catching them.  They're most commonly seen on leeward sides of the islands in sand and rubble, often close to their burrow which they build with their mouths.  They are bluish-white in color and have two black stripes on their tail fins.  

They must be approached slowly with subtle movements or they will quickly dive head first into their burrows.

Scalloped Hammerhead

The SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD (called mano kihikihi) is one of the most abundant sharks in the Hawaiian Islands and the world.  It differentiates itself from the less commonly seen Smooth Hammerhead by the scalloped front edges of its hammer-like head.  

These sharks enter shallow bays between April and October to mate and give birth.  According to research, approximately 10,000 shark pups are born each season in Kaneohe Bay.  When born, they're about 1/2 yard long and feed on crustaceans and learn how to hunt while they remain in their natal grounds for about a year before venturing out on their own. 

Adult sharks are believed to feed primarily on squid in the open ocean.  Females tend to be 3-4 feet longer than males of this species, and can grow to be 13 feet.  

Tragically, these beautiful sharks are hunted every year more than any other shark species because of their fins.  We must do something to prevent these sharks from becoming endangered!

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Black Trevally

The BLACK TREVALLY (called ulua la'uli) has strengthened scales that reinforce its tail.  Also called the Black Jack, this fish is easy to identify because of these scales that make a dark lined pattern leading to the tail.  They're typically almost black to dark gray, and they have a dark spot on the upper gill cover.  They're found alone or in pairs, but rarely ever in groups and can be seen near drop-offs adjacent to deep water.  They can grow to be 3 feet long.  

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