Shuttlecock Spindle Cowrie Feeds

Anilao, Philippines — 2018-2022

Shuttlecock spindle cowries are large false cowries that feed on soft corals, and they end up having some interesting interactions with the critters that make those soft corals their homes. 

added 8/4/2025

Copepods

Indonesia and Philippines — 2014-2022

Copepods live pretty much anywhere there is water and may be the most abundant single species of animal on earth. We see quite a variety while diving, some of which are free-living but many of which are icky parasites. 

added 7/25/2025

Tube-Building Amphipods

Anilao, Philippines — 2019-2024

Every time I dive Secret Bay in Anilao, I can’t resist spending some time in the shallows shooting these busy little tube building bugs. 

added 7/21/2025

Anilao Spawning Event

Anilao, Philippines — 2019

One night in Anilao, I was lucky enough to witness a spawning event, and was able to capture video of an anemone, a coral head and a sea star spawning. 

added 7/18/2025

Bumblebee Shrimps Feed on Sea Cucumbers

Ambon and Lembata, Indonesia — 2015-2022

Bumblebee shrimp feed on the fleshy parts of echinoderms, like the tube feet of both sea stars and urchins. They also eat sea cucumber skin, and it’s amazing to watch how all their mouthparts work together to remove a chunk of skin and transfer it to their mouth. 

added 7/4/2025

Misool to Triton Bay on the Wellenreng

Raja Ampat & Triton Bay, West Papua, Indonesia — May/June 2025

On a 4-week trip aboard the boutique liveaboard Wellenreng, we traveled from Misool in southern Raja Ampat all the way to Triton Bay. Despite some murky water, we enjoyed amazing reefs covered in colorful soft corals and enough macro to keep the critter lovers happy. Topside scenery was equally breathtaking, with untouched white sand beaches, tranquil lagoons dotted with islets, and a dramatic waterfall cascading directly into the sea.

added 7/1/2025

Mouthbrooding Fish

Indonesia and Philippines — 2013-2024

Both jawfish and cardinalfish are paternal mouthbrooders—the males incubate the fertilized eggs in their mouth until they hatch, and in at least one species, even longer. 

added 4/8/2025

Hesionid Worms Hunt

Alor and Komodo, Indonesia — 2013 and 2019

These zebra-striped hesionids, or bristleworms can be found on Indonesia’s black sand slopes where their hunting and feeding behavior can be observed. 

added 4/8/2025

Dragonet Dance

Anilao, Batangas, Philippines — 2018

Longtail dragonets are well camouflaged against the sand and usually lie still when divers approach, hoping not to be noticed. However, when a male intrudes on another's territory, you might witness quite a dramatic display. 

added 3/30/2025

Worm Snails Feed

Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea and California — 2016-2018

Vermetids, or worm snails, are gastropods with tubular shells that are cemented to the bottom or other fixed hard surfaces. Since they can’t crawl around, they feed by casting out mucus nets, then reeling them back in. 

added 3/25/2025

Diving Komodo, Indonesia on the Damai I

Komodo, Indonesia — December 2024/January 2025

On this short trip to Komodo aboard Damai I we spotted everything from mantas to ladybugs—though we didn’t see as many color variations of the adorable amphipods as on our previous New Year’s trip. We also did a few blackwater dives where we were visited by squids, a baby blue-ring and a very cool larval dragonfish.

added 3/14/2025

Raja Ampat on the Damai II

Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia — December 2024

What better way to spend Christmas than on the luxury liveaboard Damai II diving the beautiful, fishy reefs of Raja Ampat? And who can resist all the adorable blennies peeking out of holes in the shallows? Not me! Blackwater dives under the boat provided a nice selection of subjects as well.

added 3/3/2025

Diving Lembeh Strait with NAD Lembeh Resort

North Sulawesi, Indonesia — December 2024

We returned again to NAD Lembeh for another round of critter hunting on its sand and rubble slopes. We encountered pretty much all the usual suspects this trip, with an especially impressive array of photogenic gobies and interesting shrimps.

added 2/11/2025

NAD Lembeh Blackwater Week

North Sulawesi, Indonesia — December 2024

A week of two-a-night blackwater dives provided a wealth of fascinating, strange and beautiful subjects for our group of blackwater enthusiasts.

added 2/11/2025

Macro Diving at Catalina Island

Catalina Island, CA — January 2025

Catalina Island is not normally known for its macro life, but on this day trip I spotted a bunch of interesting small critters, several of which I had never seen before.

added 1/24/2025