The best part about underwater photography is the sheer number and variety of subjects to photograph. While it’s cool to spot the big stuff like sharks, rays, turtles etc, some of the best underwater photographs are of the smallest creatures of the sea. One blink and you can miss them. The patterns, textures of colors of these small fish, invertebrates and even coral or anemone is stunning when captured by underwater macro photography. Here’s a look at some of the smaller creatures that are great subjects for macro photography-

Nudibranchs
With over 3000 varieties of this colorful soft-bodied creatures, the nudibranch is the king of underwater macro photographs. Nudibranchs are found almost all over the world and can vary dramatically in length, between as small as 20 millimeters to a very large 60 centimeters. Underwater photographers and divers truly appreciate the small sea-slug like mollusk and often try to spot and picture as many different colored and types of the 3000 varieties of nudibranchs as they can. (Read: Nudibranchs: An Underwater Enigma)

Leafy Sea Dragon
Emanating from the sea horse family, the leafy sea dragon is a an usual and curious looking animal. Found only along the Australian coastline, it can grow upto 20-24 centimeters in length. They have amazing camouflaging abilities and can often be missed as they blend in with their surroundings, mostly sea grass or between rock formations. The leafy sea dragon bears resemblance to it’s relative the pipefish but features leaf like protrusions allowing it to blend in. They’re an absolute pleasure to watch and photography as they gracefully bob between the grass.

Mantis Shrimp
Contrary to its name, the Mantis Shrimp is actually neither a mantis nor a shrimp, but bears a striking resemblance to both. This crustacean from the Stomatopoda family looks and poses like a mantis while it’s tail and claws are similar to a shrimp. These fierce crustaceans can grow to 30 centimetres (12 in) in length and are quite the predator in shallow tropical waters. The the harlequin mantis shrimp or painted mantis shrimp, more commonly known as peacock mantis shrimp is the prettiest of the 400 odd varieties that range from shades of browns to bright neon colors.

Mandarinfish
This beauty is native to the Pacific Ocean and found around Indonesian Islands, Micronesia and Australia. Reaching only about 6 cm, this small bottom feeding fish is packed with bright blue shades making them a great subject of underwater photography.

Anemone & Clown Fish
A very popular subject of Macro photography underwater is capturing the clown fish in anemone. Not an easy task at all, as the clownfish is tricky to shoot darting in and out of the anemones tentacles. It’s like a game of hide and seek with the camera. However, if you manage to get a shot the picture is reward enough for the effort. They picture magnificently. (Read: Sea Anemone: An Underwater Photographer’s Delight)

As the list of Macro worthy creatures of the sea is endless look out for more posts on this subject to come!

*Photo credits: Photos by Raymond™, kqedquest, lecates, jeffk42, doug.deep, Enje, Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton, Luc Viatour (www.lucnix.be), Nemo’s great uncle, CW Ye on flickr

Long before the popular Pixar movie ‘Finding Nemo‘, about the adorable Clown fish that resided in a Sea Anemone became popular, Scuba divers have favored the ornately colored sea creatures never passing up a photo opportunity if they spot one.

Anemones (pronounced: uh-NEM-uh-nee) often mistaken for plants are actually predatory animals closely related to Coral and jellyfish. Anemones are polyps that attach themselves to rocks on the sea bottom or on coral reefs. The pretty tube like petals often seen swaying about with anemone fish (like the clown fish) darting through them, are venom-filled tentacles targeted at paralyzing passing fish. With nearly 1000 species of sea anemones and spread throughout the World’s oceans, although the largest and most varied occur in coastal tropical waters. Sea anemones are easily identifiable on a dive and are often associated with the clownfish with which around 10 species of sea anemones share create an alliance.

Contrary to popular belief that clownfish live in any anemone, only 10 percent of anemone species form a symbiotic relationship with the fish, most other anemone like coral allow algae safe harbor in exchange for the bi-products of its photosynthesis- sugar and oxygen. The clownfish  on the other hand has a fascinating way of developing an immunity towards the anemones stinging tentacles.  After it is stung the clownfish returns to the anemone repeatedly, gingerly touching the tentacles to its ventral fins  and then slowly introducing its entire belly. The elaborate process helps the fish develop  a protective  mucus layer allowing it to live safely among the tentacles of the anemone. In return for shelter in its tentacles, the anemone feeds on the scraps from the clownfish’s meals without having to wait for its own prey as they are not voracious predators.

Anemones live in shallow waters where they get plenty of sunlight just like most coral species, making them a perfect subject for underwater photography. Their bright colors and swaying tentacles . They run the full spectrum of colors and make for great photographs especially when clustered together appearing like a carpet. The can be as small as half an inch (1.25 centimeters) or as large as 6 feet (1.8 meters) across.

*Photo Credits: photos by Boogies with Fish, BrettMorrison, cloning girl,The Lightworks, CW Ye on flickr

Finding Nemo

The 2003 Pixar CGI animated Film “Finding Nemo” was so popular when it first released, that even today most people look at the clownfish in an aquarium and identify  it as ‘Nemo ‘ and not as a Clownfish. At first people thought the phenomenon would pass, and the interest generated by the movie would fade away. However even today most Scuba diving instructors will tell you that their new students still recognize reef fish by their Nemo Names, and phrases like: “I saw two Dory’s and a whole bunch of Gills”, or “Did you see Nemo in that anemone?”, are not uncommon. So we at Aquaviews decided to help our Nemo crazed fans, find Nemo and his friends.

Nemo and Marlin: False Ocellaris Clown fish

False Ocellaris Clown fish are closely related to the true clownfish better known as the orange clown fish and are both species that are found in coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific. The Ocellaris can be recognized by its orange color with three white bars and black markings on the fins and you will almost always find them living in the protection of an anemone.

Dory : Regal Blue Tang

The Regal Blue Tang comes from the family of surgeon fish and can be identified by its royal blue body, yellow tail, and black ‘palette’ design. This species is relatively common in the reefs of the Indo-Pacific and lives of plankton. Tangs can grow up to a foot in length and due to their stunning color, are a real delight to spot while diving in a reef.

Tad : Tad Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish

The yellow long nose butterfly fish is one of the most common kinds of butterfly fish and is instantly recognized by its bright yellow body and tapering short black nose. The Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish inhabits the Indo-Pacific and Eastern Pacific and any scuba diver who has dived in Hawaii will instantly recognize this fish.  They commonly found on exposed seaward reefs and not very common in lagoon reefs.

Gill : Moorish Idol

Another really popular character from the Movie, Gill is a Moorish idol which is often mistakenly identified as a butterflyfish, Angelfish, bannerfish or pennant fish which appear in similar colors. The Pennant Coral fish closely resembles the Moorish idol, which can be distinguished from the pennant by the black band that goes over its eye and its distinctive tubular snout that sets it apart. The Moorish Idol however belongs to the Surgeonfish family and grows to a length of 8-10 inches.

Bloat : Puffer Fish

Pufferfish are by far one of the most extraordinary fish of the reef. When stressed pufferfish can puff up to 2 or 3 times their normal size. They are slow swimming fish, and swim rather awkwardly in the water. There are also several kinds of pufferfish, like boxfish, cowfish, porcupine, burrfish, stars and stripes puffer, the dog faced puffer, the figure eight puffer, etc. Bloat in Finding Nemo is a Porcupine Pufferfish recognizable by its yellow color and long spines which sticks out when it inflates.