Critters of the Lembeh Strait | Episode 20/2014

It’s an underwater party and all your favorite critters of the Lembeh Strait are there – anemone fish, blue-ringed octopus, ornate ghost pipefish with eggs (yes, children are welcome at this party!), various frogfishes and a graceful free-swimming ribbon eel. Also keep your eyes peeled for a very special, seldom seen little goby, the Priolepis vexilla, whose blue-and-red striped face, dotty body and spiky dorsal fin will surely charm you. Sit back and enjoy!

Critters of the Lembeh Strait | Episode 19/2014

We have been unusually fortunate these past few weeks in Lembeh with many sightings of mating blue rings, a beautiful red weedy rhinopias, and baby flamboyant cuttlefishes hatching, all of which are beautifully captured in this week’s episode. As an extra cute factor bonus, there’s also footage of a baby clown frogfish waving its lure around as a tiny sponge isopod flirts with death! Enjoy the Critters of the Lembeh Strait.

Don’t over-grease O-rings !

greaseL1
I’ve seen it quite a few times now, some photographers just use too much grease on the o-rings. There might be the myth that the grease is preventing water from entering the housing, but that’s not the case – it’s the o-ring! Yes, the o-ring stops the water from getting in the housing and the grease just helps the o-ring to stay smooth and flexible. The more grease you put on the o-ring, the more likely it is for things like tissue, fibers, sand, dust etc. to stick on, and cause a leak on the sealing surface of the o-ring! Use only a tiny amount of grease (use the grease recommended by the manufacturer) and pull the o-ring through your fingers to spread the grease evenly all over. That way you can also feel if there is any sand or damage on the o-ring. For cleaning the o-ring I normally use my T-shirt, but a tissue or microfiber cloth works just fine as well.

Critters of the Lembeh Strait | Episode 16/2014

Some of the highlights of the latest episode of “Critters of the Lembeh Strait” include hairy frogfish, some of them come in pairs, another mototi octopus and the tiny Doto ussi Ortea (nudibranch). Also keep your eyes open for the scary teeth of a snake eel. Enjoy!

Critters of the Lembeh Strait | Episode 15/2014

Finally, after almost 2 years of diving the Lembeh Strait and not seeing this critter with my own eyes, I got to see it and got some footage: THE POISON OCELLATE OCTOPUS (Octopus mototi). As if that wasn’t enough, a day later an always welcome little fella showed up: THE HAIRY OCTOPUS (Octopus sp.). Of course there are lots more critters to see in the latest episode, check it out!