The ocean and its inhabitants inspire wonder, fuel curiosity, and invite discovery. As a larval fish researcher and marine life photographer, I see the ocean as the ultimate classroom, sanctuary, and broodstock tank.

This site brings together underwater imagery, early life-history science, and experimental marine aquaculture. Alongside underwater field reports, I document how marine fishes grow, transform, and survive their most fragile stages.

Here you will find detailed species rearing and development profiles, paired with life-stage imagery that reveals what these fishes need to thrive — and why so many remain challenging to raise.

Latest Photo Reports

A dense aggregation of Magnificent Sea Anemones (Heteractis magnifica) carpets the reef as far as the eye can see. Surprisingly, the habitat was dominated by Ringtail Cardinalfish rather than the various anemonefish species more typically associated with this species. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia.

Northeast Bali: Artificial Reefs, Juvenile Fish and More

Tulamben is a small fishing village on the northeast coast of Bali, Indonesia, about three hours by car from Denpasar ...
An Almaco Jack (Seriola rivoliana) hunts akule (Bigeye Scad, Selar crumenophthalmus) in a mega bait ball off Kona, Hawaiʻi.

Akule: Culture, Life History, and a Predator’s Feast

Schooling bait fish are one of the ocean’s great spectacles. Their fluid motion and ever-shifting silver forms are mesmerizing. When ...
Raja Ampat: Exploring more of Indonesia’s Ultimate Reef Paradise

Raja Ampat: Exploring more of Indonesia’s Ultimate Reef Paradise

Raja Ampat’s extraordinary marine biodiversity and pristine reefs make it a paradise for divers, snorkelers, and nature enthusiasts. Strong currents ...
Juvenile Bluestripe Snapper (Lutjanus kasmira), ≈ 8 cm. Oahu, Hawaii.

Young Fish Spotlight: Bluestripe Snapper

Every summer and fall, I notice waves of juvenile ta'ape, or Bluestripe Snappers (Lutjanus kasmira), settling on reefs 20–60 feet ...

All Photo Reports

Latest Fish Culture Research

Juvenile Cave Cardinalfish

Cave Cardinalfish Culture

Cave Cardinalfish juveniles (Zapogon evermanni) were raised on copepods, rotifers, and Artemia. Larval duration was about 50 days. First documented ...
Dwarf Perchlet (Plectranthias nanus) juvenile (52 dph, 9.9 mm TL)

Dwarf Perchlet Culture

Dwarf Perchlet juveniles (Plectranthias nanus) were raised from captive-spawned eggs on rotifers, copepods, and Artemia. Larval duration was about 50 ...
Transitioning Schooling Bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes), 52 dph, 2025 culture trial.

Schooling Bannerfish Culture

Juvenile Schooling Bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes) were raised from wild-spawned eggs in 2013 and again in 2025, using different larval rearing ...
Juvenile Shortnose Wrasse (Macropharyngodon geoffroy), 50 dph, raised in the laboratory

Shortnose Wrasse Culture

Juvenile Shortnose Wrasse (Macropharyngodon geoffroy) were reared from wild-collected eggs using cultured live foods and micropellets. Larval duration was 50 ...

All Research

Latest Photography Highlights

A young Galapagos Shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) glides through the clear offshore waters of Oʻahu, bathed in sunlight from above.
A young Galapagos Shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) glides through the clear ...
Coral grouper (Cephalopholis miniata) with glassfish (Apogonidae) on a vibrant coral bommy. Wayil Batan, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Coral grouper (Cephalopholis miniata) with glassfish (Apogonidae) on a vibrant ...
Adult Black Triggerfish (Melichthys niger), ≅30 cm, Oahu, Hawaii. Black durgons possess the fascinating ability to adjust their coloration to blend with their surroundings. From afar, this individual appeared entirely black, but upon closer inspection, its dark blue-green mottling and a striking splash of orange near the head became visible. Moments later, the vibrant color pattern had faded, showcasing the fish's remarkable ability to display iridescence and subtle shifts in shade—an effect created by the unique physical properties of its scales.
Adult Black Triggerfish (Melichthys niger), ≅30 cm, Oahu, Hawaii. Black ...
Taylor's Pygmy Leatherjacket (Brachaluteres taylori) juvenile – Approximately 10 mm in size. This tiny leatherjacket varies in color from yellow and green to greyish, adorned with fine dark lines and rows of pale spots along its head and body. Juveniles are typically pale yellow to greyish, speckled with small dark spots.
Taylor's Pygmy Leatherjacket (Brachaluteres taylori) juvenile – Approximately 10 mm ...
A moray eel larva spirals through the darkness during a blackwater dive off Oahu. The defensive curl is a reaction to my lights. The white pigment spots indicate it’s nearing settlement on the reef.
A moray eel larva spirals through the darkness during a ...
A pair of Brushtail Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) ascend in perfect synchrony during a spawning rise in the clear blue waters of the Solomon Islands — captured just moments before gamete release, a fleeting instant in their intricate reproductive dance.
A pair of Brushtail Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) ascend in perfect ...
An Oceanic Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) hunts akule (Bigeye Scad, Selar crumenophthalmus) in a mega bait ball off Kona, Hawaiʻi.
An Oceanic Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) hunts akule (Bigeye Scad, ...
As golden light filters through the surface, a mixed aggregation of surgeonfish—Yellow Tangs, Convict Tangs, and Brown Tangs—gathers over the boulder-strewn reef off Hawai‘i’s Kona Coast. In the calm of evening, their synchronized foraging becomes a luminous display of color and motion beneath the setting sun.
As golden light filters through the surface, a mixed aggregation ...
Juvenile Leafy Filefish (Chaetodermis penicilligerus) cleverly camouflaging among drifting seaweed during a blackwater dive in Farondi, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Its intricate patterns and delicate fronds make it nearly indistinguishable from its surroundings—a master of disguise in the open ocean.
Juvenile Leafy Filefish (Chaetodermis penicilligerus) cleverly camouflaging among drifting seaweed ...
Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus) hunt akule (Bigeye Scad, Selar crumenophthalmus) in large bait ball off Kona, Hawaii
Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus) hunt akule (Bigeye Scad, Selar crumenophthalmus) ...
Ringtail Cardinalfishes (Ostorhinchus aureus) crowd the cavities of an old tire artificial reef, using the complex structure for shelter. Cardinalfish reproduction is unusual among reef fishes: males mouthbrood the developing eggs until fully formed larvae hatch and enter the plankton. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
Ringtail Cardinalfishes (Ostorhinchus aureus) crowd the cavities of an old ...
A Clark’s Anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) tends a dense patch of eggs laid on rock beside its host anemone. The male guards and aerates the adhesive eggs until they hatch, generally after about 6–8 days; the larvae then spend roughly two weeks in the plankton before returning to the reef and finding an anemone. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia.
A Clark’s Anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) tends a dense patch of ...
A colorful salp (about 30 mm) drifting through the open ocean, captured on a blackwater dive off Oahu. Its translucent, gelatinous body glows with iridescent purples and golds, revealing the delicate internal structures of this fascinating pelagic tunicate. A fleeting glimpse of the deep-sea’s ethereal beauty.
A colorful salp (about 30 mm) drifting through the open ...
A moment of Redfin Anthias (Pseudanthias dispar) spawning in the waters of Alor, Indonesia. Their vibrant yellow and pink hues blend in a dreamy, fluid motion, captured in the rush of their spawning ascent—a fleeting yet vital ritual of the reef.
A moment of Redfin Anthias (Pseudanthias dispar) spawning in the ...
A stunning pair of regal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) glide over the coral reef in the Solomon Islands—one displaying its classic coloration and the other a rare xanthic variation, glowing golden above a bed of Acropora sp.
A stunning pair of regal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) glide over ...
A clingfish (Discotrema crinophila) rests deep among the arms of a crinoid, its striped body closely matching its host. Its ventral adhesive disc allows it to cling securely within this moving forest of feather-star arms. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia.
A clingfish (Discotrema crinophila) rests deep among the arms of ...
Swaying like a leaf in the surge, the Leaf Scorpionfish sucks in unsuspecting prey the moment it strays too close. I usually spot them blending into the substrate, but this one was strutting across a sandy rock, standing out in sharp contrast against the blue water. This fish fascinates not only for its stealth hunting but also for its unusual habits—molting every few weeks and often changing color, shifting between pink, purple, brown, and creamy yellow hues. As the only member of its genus (Taenianotus), it’s truly one of the reef’s coolest masters of disguise.
Swaying like a leaf in the surge, the Leaf Scorpionfish ...
A pair of Blue-ringed Angelfish (Pomacanthus annularis) peer through a sponge and soft coral rich overhang. Tamulol, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
A pair of Blue-ringed Angelfish (Pomacanthus annularis) peer through a ...
Female Larvacean carrying eggs swims out of its house on a blackwater dive. Larvaceans build houses out of mucus to filter food from the water. Gam Island, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Female Larvacean carrying eggs swims out of its house on ...
Juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides) weaving through red gorgonian. Its striking brown-and-white polka dot pattern and exaggerated fin movements help it mimic the flowing motions of toxic flatworms—a clever survival strategy in its early stages. Aljui Bay, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides) weaving through red gorgonian. Its ...
A dense aggregation of Magnificent Sea Anemones (Heteractis magnifica) carpets the reef as far as the eye can see. Surprisingly, the habitat was dominated by Ringtail Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus aureus) rather than the various anemonefish species more typically associated with this species. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia.
A dense aggregation of Magnificent Sea Anemones (Heteractis magnifica) carpets ...

Marine Life Galleries