Pictures of fish and turtles found during snorkeling trips in Raja Ampat

December 2012 

The variety of fish in Raja Ampat varies considerably depending on exposure of the reef, ocean currents and local ecosystem. The most exposed reefs are featured by larger fish, sharks and turtles, while the more protected areas are populated mainly by smaller fish.

Fusilier fish school School of fish
Fish school


Snorkeling in Raja Ampat along the reefs more exposed to ocean currents and open sea, offers the opportunity to see a completely different ecosystem, if compared to lagoons and protected channels. Here you may see larger fish, often swimming in school of hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals.
Hawksbill sea turtle
Hawksbill sea turtle photo. Along reefs exposed to open sea, it's much easier to see turtles, like the Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) shown in this picture.
School of fish made of thousands of individuals.
Cuttlefish
Cuttlefish photo, taken along a reef.
Manta
Manta ray Mobula
In Raja Ampat is possible to meet the huge manta ray.
Chaetodon Chaetodon baronessa
Chaetodon ornatissimus
Butterfly fish Heniochus chrysostomus
With plenty of live coral, Raja Ampat is home to a huge number of butterfly fish displaying a variety of different liveries. In fact, the butterfly fish feed thanks to their elongated mouth parts, letting to eat coral polyps.
Acanthurus lineatus
Photo of Acanthurus lineatus.
Imperator pomacanthus Emperor angelfish
Photo of Emperor angelfish.
A camouflaged fish lives among the tentacles of a leather coral.
Soldier fish Holocentridae
Photos of Soldier fish.
Papilloculiceps longiceps
Photo of a juvenile crocodile fish (Papilloculiceps longiceps)
Pipe fish Syngnathinae
Picture of pipefish.
Lion fish
Photo of lion fish.
Jelly fish Jellyfish
Photo of jellyfish. In Raja Ampat, jellyfish are particularly common, but most of them are totally harmless and do not cause problems, even touching them.
Pomacanthus navarchus
Picture of angelfish (Pomacanthus navarchus).
Moray Moray eel
Some small moray eels using rocks or corals as a safe den.
Paracirrhites forsteri
Picture of Paracirrhites forsteri endemic of Indo-Pacific regions.
Titan triggerfish Triggerfish
Photos of trigger fish (on the left picture, a titan trigger fish).
Aluterus scriptus
Picture of Aluterus scriptus, belonging to the group of filefish.
Parrotfish Bolbometopon muricatum
Photos of parrot fish, including the massive Bolbometopon muricatum. Parrotfish have strong mouthparts designed to shred corals, which are part of their diet.
Odontodactylus
Picture of Odontodactylus scyllarus, a colorful crustacean.
Skorpion fish
Skorpionfish

Photos of scorpion fish. Look carefully at the photo above: a scorpion fish is well camouflaged on a wooden board where some ascidian are also living.
Lutjanus biguttatus
Picture of Lutjanus biguttatus.
Blennioidei fish Blenny fish
Blennioidei


Photos of blenny fish.
Moorish idol
In Raja Ampat, you can find many moorish idols (Zanclus cornutus).
Sepia Cuttle fish
I've found also some cuttlefish.
Skorpion Skorpionfish



Pictures of scorpion fish. Very similar to a decomposing leaf, a deeper analysis reveals instead the presence of a large scorpion fish well camouflaged with the seabed.
Ephippidae
A school of large fish, commonly known as bat fish or fish fork.
Teira batfish
Spadefishes

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