Fang Blenny in a Discarded Can – Photo of the Day
We all hear a lot about garbage being thrown in the ocean. No one likes to see piles of plastic and other discarded items in the sea. However, you might get an argument from this little fang blenny. Fish are nothing if not adaptable. To us, this soft drink can looks like a real stain on the environment. However, to this little blenny it looks like a great new home!
The fang blenny is quite a star on the reef. These finger sized fish are a member of the blenny family, which is one of the largest families of fish. They inhabit reefs throughout the Indo Pacific region. Commonly divers see them on mooring lines around dive sites in Indonesia. The name “fang blenny”comes from their sharp teeth and habit of biting other fish! Despite their cute looks, this blenny actually has a venom behind its bite. It’s believed that the venom helps to mask the pain of the bite, in order to allow it to escape.
Information About the Shot
The settings of this photograph include an open f-stop in order to bring attention to the fish. The open f-stop creates a soft bokeh that blurs the background nicely. The goal is to bring the viewers eye to the fish at first before realizing it’s sitting in a can. Shot with a Nikon D7200 in a Nauticam housing, 105mm lens at f6.3.and1/200.
This photo is from the Tulamben area of Bali on a black sandy slope. If you are interested in learning more about taking bokeh style photographs underwater please have a look at our Underwater Photography Classes.
