Fish of French Polynesia CONTACT ME HERE -- POLYNESIAN WEATHER AND LIVE CAMS -- HOME PAGE -- DRENNON's POLYNESIAN JUKEBOX Return to Feb 17 - Mar 2 French Polynesian Excursion
I took most of these pictures in the Tahiti and Bora Bora Lagoons. However, these fishes were seen on all islands. I opted not to take UW pictures on the other islands, but merely explore. --- now loading.......
BUTTERFLYFISHES Chaetodontidae Family
The Chaetodontidae are one of my favorite families of fish. In most locals, butterflyfishes are quite shy, but in the French Society Islands, they were not shy at all. I was even pecked at by some! These fish normally eat coral polyps and invertebrates in the coral. However, these will take handouts.
Augiga or Threadfin butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga	Saddleback butterflyfish, Chaetodon ephippium
Pacific double-saddle butterflyfish, Chaetodon ulietensis	Yellow longnose butterflyfish, Forcipiger Flavissimus
Longfin Bannerfish, Heniochus acuminatus	Feeding frenzy of butterflyfishes and convict fishes on Diadema sea urchin
Puffers, Boxfish, Blowfish
Spotted Puffer, Arothron meleagris	Spiney Boxfish, Porcupinefish Diodon holocanthus
Surgeonfish and Tangs, Acanthuridae
Tangs are the worst tasting fish in the world. Don't eat them! Yet many of these beautiful fish do give your eyes a feast. They are algae and seaweed eaters and they taste like decaying seaweed smells. They usually travel in groups to overcome the attacks from the damselfishes.
Convict Tang, Acanthurus triostegus	Achilles Tang, Acanthurus achilles
Unicornfish, Unicorn Tang, Naso unicornis	Juvenile Tang, Acanthurus sp.
Sailfin Tang, Zebrasoma veliferum	Unusual colorform of Gold-rimmed Surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigricans
Red-barred tang, Acanthurus sp.	Whitecheek Tang, Gold-rimmed Surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigricans
Being herbivores, you can feed bread to tangs If they ate more bread and less algae, they might taste better!	Tangs group up to graze on the reef, overwhelming protective damselfish.