La Ventana Stories

This fish has an unusual defense against predators. I became curious about it, so I set out to document this. My initial goal was to be able to end up with a decent still photo so I can ID the fish, and examine its physical construction. If I can capture it on video, then I can observe it’s behavior and watch how it physically propels itself through the water. Note: I have not seen any Blue Razorfish lately when I snorkel in Ventana Bay. So if you see one, you’re a lucky snorkeler. Please, let me know if you do! (Be sure to watch this video in HD to really appreciate the detail)

Sergeant Majors are one of the more reproductively active fish in Ventana Bay, reproducing consistently for most of the year. They excavate down to uncover large smooth boulders to lay their eggs on. Their nests are easy to spot when you are snorkeling because multiple nests can be found in clusters of around 5-9 nests, and also, there’s a lot of activity to witness. The male protects the nest by darting around, chasing predator fish away from the nest. With this activity and that of the pair reproducing in a way that looks like a dance, you can’t miss them if you are snokeling in the bay.

Finespotted Jawfish excavate a tunnel down into the sand. They back their tail and trunk into the hole and most often can be scene with their head visible within the opening of the tunnel. As you swim over, the fish will track you with their eyes, and you can sometimes see the head turn to follow you as you cross over their path. Watch! 

Longenose puffers can be pesky! I have been bitten 5 times. Become aware of their behaviors so you can keep that number at zero. Those that have been approached by this cute little fish, please share your encounters in the video comment section.

Here is a video of Stingrays Swimming in Ventana Bay. They have a reputation of being stingy creatures, however, stingrays would rather not sting you. But when you step on them, you leave them no choice! To prevent this, some recommend shuffling your feet in the sand to scare them off.

 Here is a very short video to introduce what a Stingray looks like buried in the sand. Stingrays are harmless creatures, unless you step on one when they are buried in the sand. Some people shuffle their feet in the sand to scare them away. That’s what I do when I enter the water. A Stingray has a barb on the tail that they use to defend themselves; that’s the sting in Stingray. It’s very painful. Stingrays will leave you alone otherwise. I enjoy watching their unique and graceful way of swimming.

Learn to recognize when a female Sharpnose Puffer exhibits nest building behavior so when you snorkel, you too can spot the reproductive behaviors of these fish. This short film shows pairs of Puffers engaged in reproduction. 

I have put together a free reef fish ID resource video with 94 species of fish from our very own Ventana Bay. The photos were taken while snorkeling in the bay. I hope the vid brings some joy to people over the holiday, and is useful to those who want to get to know our local fish residents. Thank you to Mary Sim for collaborating on this project! She’s been so helpful since I started documenting fish around our local reefs in the fall of 2017.

Hawksbill Turtle Sighting in Ventana Bay! Here’s a short video of a beautiful creature sighted Dec 9