Critter Spotter

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Pink Anemone Fish (Amphiprion perideraoin) are among the reef's most familiar residents.

We see them on almost every dive, yet somehow they never become ordinary. Curious, and full of personality, they always seem to have one eye on the diver and the other on their precious anemone.

Recently, these little fish became part of a story we'll remember for a long time.

We had the pleasure of welcoming Kelsey to Karma Waters, a lovely young traveller from Canada whose passion for the ocean was obvious from the moment we met her.

While chatting over drink, she told us something that genuinely made us smile.

She had chosen to stay with us because of the photograph of an anemonefish
hanging on the wall of the villa.

Not just the sunsets, the waterfront or even the diving.

It was a single photograph of one little fish.

As passionate lovers of the underwater world ourselves, moments like that remind us how powerful photography can be. A single image can spark curiosity, create a connection and sometimes even inspire someone to travel across the world.

So of course we couldn't wait to introduce Kelsey to some of our favourite anemones around Havannah Harbour.

Watching someone experience these remarkable fish with genuine excitement reminded us why we love sharing this special corner of Vanuatu.

Here is the photo for you, Kelsey .



Thank you for choosing to share a little piece of our underwater world with us.

We hope our paths cross again beneath the surface one day.

PS Kelsey - smeagol misses you

📸 John Warmington

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨.

Discover the reef with Critter Spotter.

Stay a little longer at .waters.vanuatu

www.critterspotter.com

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐄𝐚𝐭

One of the things we love most about nudibranchs is that they don't just live on the reef—they're completely tied to it.

This juvenile Phyllidia ocellata was photographed feeding on a bright orange sponge here in Havannah Harbour. It wasn't there by chance. For many nudibranchs, finding the right sponge, coral or hydroid isn't simply a meal—it's their entire way of life.

Unlike fish that graze or hunt a wide range of prey, many nudibranchs are remarkably selective. Some feed on only one or a handful of species, spending their lives searching for exactly what they need.

And here's the fascinating part.

Many nudibranchs don't just eat their prey—they borrow from it. Chemicals from the sponge can be incorporated into the nudibranch's own defence, making these tiny sea slugs far less appetising to predators.

When we look at this little animal with its striking black, white and golden-yellow markings against the vivid orange sponge, we're seeing much more than a colourful photograph.

We're seeing a relationship that has evolved over millions of years—one species relying on another in ways that are both beautiful and remarkably complex.

It's another reminder that on a coral reef, nothing exists in isolation.

Everything is connected.

📸 John Warmington

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬?

Message or visit our webpage for more details at:

https://critterspotter.com

Why not relax and spend a few days away — dive and stay at Karma Waters Villa – book direct:

https://book.securebookings.net/roomrate?id=fc0138cd-77e8-1779045082-4ce1-b087-4cfa701db842

𝐀 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬
At first glance, this looks like a portrait of a Clark's Anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) peering out from the safety of its anemone home.

But look a little closer.

Around the edges of the anemone are several tiny Sarasvati Anemone Shrimps (Ancylomenes sarasvati), their transparent bodies decorated with striking blue markings. They are easy to miss, yet they spend their entire lives amongst the same stinging tentacles as the fish.

The relationship is a remarkable example of symbiosis on the reef.

The anemone provides shelter and protection. The amenonefish gains a safe home amongst the tentacles, while the shrimps share the same refuge. In return, the constant activity of these residents helps keep the anemone clean and healthy.
What appears at first to be a single animal is actually a small underwater community, with each resident playing its own role.

One of the things we love most about diving is discovering these connections. The reef is not simply a collection of individual creatures. It is a web of relationships, partnerships and dependencies that often go unnoticed unless you stop and take the time to look.

Sometimes the supporting cast tells just as interesting a story as the star of the show.

📸 John Warmington

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬?

Message or visit our webpage for more details at:

https://critterspotter.com

Why not relax and spend a few days away — dive and stay at Karma Waters Villa – book direct:

https://book.securebookings.net/roomrate?id=fc0138cd-77e8-1779045082-4ce1-b087-4cfa701db842

𝐖𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤

For many years we could find these remarkable Leaf Scorpionfish (Taenianotus triacanthus), in a variety of colours and they became one of our regular dive highlights. We knew where to look and would often stop by to see whether they were still there, perfectly blending into the reef.

Then one day they were gone. That's the nature of the underwater world. Some residents stay for years. Others appear briefly, become part of our diving routine, and then disappear as quietly as they arrived. We have not seen a leaf scorpion now for over a year but we still find ourselves looking - just in case.

This image was an experiment with lighting, using the fish's delicate leaf-like shape and remarkable texture to create something a little different from a traditional record shot.

What has always fascinated us about Leaf Scorpionfish is how convincing the disguise really is. The ragged edges, the translucent fins, the drifting posture and subtle movements all combine to create the illusion of a piece of algae or a dead leaf swaying with the current.

Until they move.

And suddenly the leaf becomes a fish.

One of the great joys of diving the same sites repeatedly is that every dive carries the possibility of rediscovering an old friend.

Perhaps one day we'll find this species again.

And you can be sure we'll be looking.

📸 John Warmington

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬?

Message or visit our webpage for more details at:

https://critterspotter.com

Why not relax and spend a few days away — dive and stay at Karma Waters Villa – book direct:

https://book.securebookings.net/roomrate?id=fc0138cd-77e8-1779045082-4ce1-b087-4cfa701db842

𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒𝐍’𝐓 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆

One of the great lessons photography has taught us is that you don't always need a rare subject to create an interesting image.

This cardinalfish is a species we see regularly, sheltering amongst the protective spines of black sea urchins during the day. Most divers swim past them without a second glance.

But sometimes the challenge isn't finding something new.

It's finding a new way to see something familiar.

These images were taken while experimenting with a snoot — a device that narrows the light from a strobe into a controlled beam. By selectively lighting parts of the fish while allowing the background to fall into darkness, the aim was to emphasise both the fish's striking colours and the maze of protective spines it calls home.

Not every experiment works.

Some produce unexpected results.

Others reveal possibilities you hadn't considered before.

That is one of the things we love most about underwater photography. Every dive is an opportunity to try something different, learn something new, and see familiar subjects through fresh eyes.

The cardinalfish may be common, but its golden stripes, iridescent blue highlights and secretive life amongst the urchin spines are anything but ordinary.

📸 John Warmington

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬?

Message or visit our webpage for more details at:

https://critterspotter.com

Why not relax and spend a few days away — dive and stay at Karma Waters Villa – book direct:

https://book.securebookings.net/roomrate?id=fc0138cd-77e8-1779045082-4ce1-b087-4cfa701db842

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤

One of the things we love most about diving is that sometimes the best discoveries aren't planned - they're noticed.

On this dive, we were looking over a small gorgonian coral when something seemed just slightly different. Nothing dramatic. Nothing obvious.

Just a tiny shape that didn't quite match the pattern of the coral around it.

A closer look revealed the answer.

An ovulid.

These remarkable relatives of the cowries spend much of their lives living directly on soft corals and sea fans. Their mantle closely matches the colour and texture of their host, making them incredibly difficult to spot.

In fact, they can be so well camouflaged that even when you're looking directly at them, you still don't see them.

It's often only later, reviewing photographs on the computer, that the discovery becomes obvious.

Moments like this remind us that critter spotting is rarely about luck.
It's about curiosity.

The willingness to slow down.

To question what you're seeing.

To take a second look when something feels just a little different.

And every now and then, that second look reveals a hidden treasure.

📸 John Warmington

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬?

Message or visit our webpage for more details at:

https://critterspotter.com

Why not relax and spend a few days away — dive and stay at Karma Waters Villa – book direct:

https://book.securebookings.net/roomrate?id=fc0138cd-77e8-1779045082-4ce1-b087-4cfa701db842

𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐓𝐨 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐲

Most divers recognise a moray eel by the head protruding from a hole in the reef, mouth opening and closing as it pumps water across its gills.

But how often do we stop and really look?

This is a White-mouth Moray (Gymnothorax meleagris), photographed close enough to reveal details that are easy to miss underwater.

Its large eyes watch every movement. The two tube-like nostrils on the snout help it detect scents carried by the current. Sharp teeth line the mouth, perfectly designed for gripping slippery prey.

Look even closer and you'll notice something else — a large scar beneath the chin.
We can only speculate about its origin. Perhaps a territorial dispute with another moray. Perhaps an encounter with a predator. Life on the reef is not always peaceful, and many animals carry the evidence of battles long survived.

White-mouth Morays vary considerably in appearance. Some individuals are dark brown with white spots, while others appear almost reversed, with pale markings dominating the pattern. No two seem exactly alike.

Despite their fearsome reputation, we often find them surprisingly curious. Given patience and respect, they will frequently tolerate a close approach, allowing a glimpse into a world that most divers pass by with only a quick glance.

Sometimes the reef's most compelling portraits belong to its most misunderstood residents.

📸 John Warmington

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬?

Message or visit our webpage for more details at:

https://critterspotter.com

Why not relax and spend a few days away — dive and stay at Karma Waters Villa – book direct:

https://book.securebookings.net/roomrate?id=fc0138cd-77e8-1779045082-4ce1-b087-4cfa701db842

𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐍’𝐓 𝐌𝐄

Every now and then you photograph a fish that appears to have far more personality than it really should.

This Sandperch was resting on the sand when we came across it, and for reasons known only to itself, it was wearing a mouthful of sand.

The expression immediately reminded us of a child caught standing next to an empty biscuit tin.

"It wasn't me."
"I didn't eat the last one."
"You've got no proof."

The evidence, however, may suggest otherwise.

Sandperches are ambush predators that spend much of their time resting motionless on the seabed, relying on camouflage and patience rather than speed. They wait for small fish and crustaceans to come within striking distance before launching a rapid attack.

Most of the time we photograph them side-on, where their patterns and markings blend beautifully into the surrounding sand. But occasionally they look straight into the camera.

And suddenly they become characters rather than fish.

It's one of the reasons we love underwater photography. Sometimes the most memorable images aren't the rarest subjects or the most technically difficult photographs.

Sometimes it's simply a face that makes you smile.

📸 John Warmington

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬?

Message or visit our webpage for more details at:

https://critterspotter.com

Why not relax and spend a few days away — dive and stay at Karma Waters Villa – book direct:

https://book.securebookings.net/roomrate?id=fc0138cd-77e8-1779045082-4ce1-b087-4cfa701db842

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡

At first glance, this looks nothing like the large blue-green parrotfish most divers recognise. That's because it's a juvenile.

Many parrotfish undergo remarkable colour changes as they grow, and some species can look almost like entirely different fish at different stages of their lives. While their colours may change dramatically, their job on the reef remains much the same.

Parrotfish spend much of their day grazing algae from coral and rocky surfaces using their powerful beak-like mouths. In the process, they often scrape small amounts of coral skeleton as well. That material passes through their digestive system and is eventually returned to the reef as fine white sand.

It's estimated that a single large parrotfish can produce hundreds of kilograms of sand each year. When we

So the next time you walk along a tropical beach, some of the sand beneath your feet may have started its journey inside a parrotfish i.e. parrotfish Pooh!

This youngster still has plenty of growing to do, but one day it will become part of one of the reef's most important maintenance crews — keeping algae in check and helping create the very sand that surrounds our islands.

Not bad for a fish most people swim straight past and all the more reason to protect our parrotfish !

📸 John Warmington

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬?

Message or visit our webpage for more details at:

https://critterspotter.com

Why not relax and spend a few days away — dive and stay at Karma Waters Villa – book direct:

https://book.securebookings.net/roomrate?id=fc0138cd-77e8-1779045082-4ce1-b087-4cfa701db842

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐄

Some reef creatures are impossible to overlook. Others earn your attention only when you slow down and take a closer look.

This is a Spotted Porcelain Crab (Neopetrolisthes maculatus), a species that spends its entire life living amongst the protective tentacles of sea anemones.

At first glance it might look like a miniature crab hiding from danger, but these animals are perfectly adapted to life within their stinging host. The tentacles that would deter most predators provide both shelter and security, allowing the crab to spend its days feeding on tiny particles drifting past in the current, using their specialised feeding nets.

We always enjoy finding porcelain crabs. They are not particularly large, nor especially rare (if you know where to look!), but they have a way of turning an ordinary anemone into a miniature world full of character.

Perhaps it is the oversized claws.

Perhaps it is the intricate patterning.

Or perhaps it is simply that face.

Whatever the reason, they are one of those reef residents that always makes us stop for a closer look.

Sometimes the smallest tenants are the ones with the biggest personalities.

📸 John Warmington

𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬?

Message or visit our webpage for more details at:

https://critterspotter.com

Why not relax and spend a few days away — dive and stay at Karma Waters Villa – book direct:

https://book.securebookings.net/roomrate?id=fc0138cd-77e8-1779045082-4ce1-b087-4cfa701db842