Fishy Friends

This gallery contains 6 photos. Here are some more fishy friends I met over a few visits to the Vancouver Aquarium. My photos actually turned out somewhat respectably, given the low light; fast moving subjects; lack of strobe lights; and thick, sometimes steamy, glass! First up: the Blue-Spotted Fantail Ray is a cousin of the much larger (and more visible Manta and Sting Rays). Although popular with those who keep tropical fish, it is not an easy aquarium inhabitant to maintain. Photographed on July 14, 2015.

this ray must be feeling pretty bold — it’s not swimming away from my camera!
f/4.0, 1/125, 24-105mm lens, 105mm, ISO 6400

An instant and universal favourite is the bright orange Clown Anemonefish.  “I’ve found Nemo” is a popular meme, and you’ll hear it uttered plenty of times at Vanaqua. I discovered an unusually accommodating subject in these usually fast-swimming fish on this particular visit. This one gave me several closeup poses. Photographed on July 14, 2015.

shouldn’t comedic talents come naturally to Clown Anemonefish?
f/11, 1/125, 24-105mm lens, 105mm, ISO 6400

You could turn off the lights in the aquarium that houses the Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish. With their bright yellow coloration, these marine fish–also known by their alias, Forceps Fish–give the Anemone Clownfish a run for their money in the instant popularity department at Vanaqua. These two definitely had my interest piqued, and on one occasion, it seemed like both were trying to court for my attention. Photographed on July 14, 2015.

I was tempted to don my sunglasses when these two showed up.
f/10, 1/125, 24-105mm lens, 105mm, ISO 6400

Yellowspotted Rockfish (also known as China Rockfish) is one of the fish we met at the start of our tour. It’s also a fish who will stop and let you take their photo. Just don’t expect a smile from the subject (how happy can you be if you are still a prized entreé in some parts of the world)! Photographed on December 7, 2014.

you may not look as flashy as the others, but you’re still a pretty fish!
f/8, 1/500, 100mm, ISO 12800

Copperband Butterflyfish (also featured in Finding Nemo, as one of the father-and-precocious-son duos whom Nemo and Marlin meet on the first day of school). For me, it was like seeing a zebra in fish form. Photographed on December 7, 2014.

this one posed for me, and pretty close to the glass, too. how lucky was I? 🙂
f/8, 1/1600, 100mm macro lens, 100mm, ISO 12800

The Lined Surgeonfish has a number of other aliases, including Tang and Doctorfish (I have no idea why a medical reference was made; did this fish come with a stethoscope and a lab coat?) Photographed on July 6, 2014.

now here is a fish which looks really good under black light.
f/2.8, 1/1600, 100mm macro lens, 100mm, ISO 25600

MY ZAZZLE WEBSITE   www.zazzle.ca/walkswithnature | www.zazzle.com/walkswithnature
MY PIXELS.COM WEBSITE   pixels.com/profiles/hui-sim.html