UK Diving Places To Dive

As you regularly dive different sections of a reef, it becomes possible to identify and distinguish familiar ecological characteristics, such as the species of fish you will see at a specfic depth. Social interactions between fish become noticeable, you will see territorial aggression, large schools moving together for protection against predators, the use of mimicry and camouflage, different forms of symbiosis and importantly, which species fit where in the complex web of the food chain. You will spot the omnivores, carnivores, the corallivores, planktivores, herbivores and detrivores at work.

Whether you watch an orange clownfish darting among the fronds of an anemone for protection, blissfully immune to the deadly poisonous tenatcles thanks to a protective mucus, or a cleaner wrasse removing deadly parasites from larger fish, who queue for the service, or the red-banded prawn-goby protecting a semi-blind shrimp in his burrow, it is these clever, mutually sustaining relationships, in a constantly, colour-rich biological struggle for survival, that makes fish-watching complusive.

In the shallow, sandy waters of the lagoon at 2m, there are a surprising number of fish to surprise the snorkeller. Cruising goatfish with distinctive barbles, tiny gobies darting into sand burrows, and around outcrops of porites coral, for example, small damsel fish, clown fish and juvenile surgeonfish.

Moving deeper, on the seaward side of the reef, everything changes. The numbers and diversity of fish at 10-20m is astonishing. Each dive always produces something you have never seen before. Easy to identify, for first-time divers, are the huge turquoise-green Napoleon fish (humphead wrasse) which can weigh 190kg. You may need a reef guide to differentiate between the species of angelfish and butterflyfish. Groupers, especially the red, orange and blue-spotted coral grouper are easy to spot, as are shoals of orange anthias, exotic coral-crunching parrot fish, curious batfish, hawksbill turtles, giant morays, sea squirts and brittle stars. Then, there are the plain wierd, such as Vlaming’s unicornfish with a strangely human face, reminiscent of Thomas the Tank Engine.

Caves and overhangs, the irresistible target of all divers, usually attract soldierfish, lobsters and large groupers lurk often in the gloomier water so a torch is useful. Reef corners washed by the strong current, add another dimension to the dive, offering a good vantage point for pelagics Ð hopefully grey reef shark, whitetip reef shark, schools of tuna, barracuda, eagle rays and manta rays. However, for the most spectacular diving and the greatest mix of fish, corals and colour you need rarely stray below 15m.

Watch out for: stonefish, scorpionfish, stingrays and lionfish - they all have poisonous spines and use camouflage. At nesting time, the titan triggerfish can be unusally aggresive, so try not to venture too close. Also, avoid contact with feathery hydroids as they can leave a nasty burn.

MALDIVES - FISH	Page 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 \| 6 \| 7 \| 8 \| 9 \| 10
As you regularly dive different sections of a reef, it becomes possible to identify and distinguish familiar ecological characteristics, such as the species of fish you will see at a specfic depth. Social interactions between fish become noticeable, you will see territorial aggression, large schools moving together for protection against predators, the use of mimicry and camouflage, different forms of symbiosis and importantly, which species fit where in the complex web of the food chain. You will spot the omnivores, carnivores, the corallivores, planktivores, herbivores and detrivores at work. Whether you watch an orange clownfish darting among the fronds of an anemone for protection, blissfully immune to the deadly poisonous tenatcles thanks to a protective mucus, or a cleaner wrasse removing deadly parasites from larger fish, who queue for the service, or the red-banded prawn-goby protecting a semi-blind shrimp in his burrow, it is these clever, mutually sustaining relationships, in a constantly, colour-rich biological struggle for survival, that makes fish-watching complusive. In the shallow, sandy waters of the lagoon at 2m, there are a surprising number of fish to surprise the snorkeller. Cruising goatfish with distinctive barbles, tiny gobies darting into sand burrows, and around outcrops of porites coral, for example, small damsel fish, clown fish and juvenile surgeonfish. Moving deeper, on the seaward side of the reef, everything changes. The numbers and diversity of fish at 10-20m is astonishing. Each dive always produces something you have never seen before. Easy to identify, for first-time divers, are the huge turquoise-green Napoleon fish (humphead wrasse) which can weigh 190kg. You may need a reef guide to differentiate between the species of angelfish and butterflyfish. Groupers, especially the red, orange and blue-spotted coral grouper are easy to spot, as are shoals of orange anthias, exotic coral-crunching parrot fish, curious batfish, hawksbill turtles, giant morays, sea squirts and brittle stars. Then, there are the plain wierd, such as Vlaming’s unicornfish with a strangely human face, reminiscent of Thomas the Tank Engine. Caves and overhangs, the irresistible target of all divers, usually attract soldierfish, lobsters and large groupers lurk often in the gloomier water so a torch is useful. Reef corners washed by the strong current, add another dimension to the dive, offering a good vantage point for pelagics Ð hopefully grey reef shark, whitetip reef shark, schools of tuna, barracuda, eagle rays and manta rays. However, for the most spectacular diving and the greatest mix of fish, corals and colour you need rarely stray below 15m. Watch out for: stonefish, scorpionfish, stingrays and lionfish - they all have poisonous spines and use camouflage. At nesting time, the titan triggerfish can be unusally aggresive, so try not to venture too close. Also, avoid contact with feathery hydroids as they can leave a nasty burn.
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