Fish of Silver Steps

It is almost February so it is high time for the first 2025 post! I have quite some photos left from last year and I thought a fish photo-dump might be a nice idea. My local shoredive site ‘Silver Steps’ has quite a diversity of fish; however, I have only ever seriously tried to photograph benthic species as the pelagic swimmers are just to difficult to capture, even just for ID purposes. A shame, as I have seen some interesting Seabream species last year (Gilthead Seabream, schools of juveniles that might be Axillary, or Red Seabream and even a Common Two-Banded Seabream) and the wrasse species are very characterful (and I have seen others take great photos of them). Anyway, first up is a Conger Eel (Conger conger) I often visit. Quite menacing, although probably not as big as it looks. I always find it in its lair, probably only coming out at night to hunt (having said that occasionally I do see free-swimming congers during the day). It is always surrounded by big prawns who do not seem to be on the menu somehow, but must be protected from other predators this way.

Below photos of various smaller fish hiding in the rock cracks (click for names on the pictures).

Finally a favourite of mine: the Topknot (Zeugopterus punctatus). Not quite nailed the shot yet – maybe this year!

Silver Steps Diving V

Yet another solo dive (I know, I know, not ideal) this Thursday morning before the easterlies are kicking in. Actually, the water was already choppier than I expected, but for macro photography the viz is not as important. I did not get ‘the’ shot but it was a nice dive all around. I discovered a little swim-under and saw lobster, rock lobster (craw fish) and a huuuuge conger eel. I was focusing on a little tunicate when I looked up and saw it looking back at me from not very far away at all. Its head was as big as mine. I slowly swam backwards, thinking of this encounter…..overall they do seem to be aggressive towards people though, and with my fisheye lens this could have been a really good shot. This later happened again, this time a smaller individual but still sizable. I did not stick my macro lens up its nose but grabbed a halfhearted shot with a passing by Twospot goby almost in focus to give an idea: Some macro shots: again a Twin fan worm Bispira volutacornis and a new one for me, a big bright red Protula tubularia. It would be nice to get some abstract close-ups but these are excellent living motion-detectors so it is difficult. There are some amazing colours under the rock overhangs and I would like to try some more abstract photos such as this Spiny starfish or this Didemnun colonial seasquirt and other encrusting animals (and plants). No diving/snorkelling this weekend because of the wind, but glad I could put a couple of dives in these past weeks, and I will make an effort to go a lot more weather permitting!