Goatfishes have two separate dorsal fins and the mouth is slightly underslung.  All can be easily identified by the pair of sensory whiskers called barbels attached below the mouth.  These barbels are used to probe, excavate, and 'taste' the bottom for mobile invertebrates and small fish.  Goatfishes tend to occur in small groups or school for safety depending upon the species.  Most are nocturnal and exhibit dramatically different colors.

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet

Kahe Point, Oahu, 25 feet

Uncommon in muddy bays and harbors.  Has two brown stripes and unique barred tail.  Often causes hallucinations when eaten; also known as the Nightmare Weke.  Attains 12 inches.  Spotty distribution from various islands groups of the Indo-Pacific. 

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 15 feet

Night colors, Honolua Bay, Maui, 30 feet

Honolua Bay, Maui, 30 feet

Kahe Point, Oahu, 25 feet

Juvenile at night, Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet

Common in shallow water near shore and beyond the surf zone.  Fins are pale; dark spot may be present on mid-body stripe.  Night coloration is mottled pink and gray.  Has caused hallucinations when eaten.  Attains 15 inches.  Indo-Pacifc.

Juveniles, Kahe Point, Oahu, 25 feet

Fish Hole, Midway, 30 feet

Dark phase, Cargo pier, Midway, 20 feet

Fish Hole, Midway, 30 feet

Fish Hole, Midway, 30 feet

East Lagoon, Midway, 6 feet

Kaka'ako, Oahu, 45 feet

Kahe Point, Oahu, 25 feet

Kahe Point, Oahu, 25 feet

Night, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Common schooling fish at scuba depths beyond the surf zone.  Fins are yellow; body varies from silver to deep pink; large eyes.  Night coloration is mottled pink and gray.  Often sold in fish markets.  Attains 15 inches.  Indo-Pacific.  Very similar to M. dentatus of the Tropical Eastern Pacific and M. martinicus of the Tropical Western Atlantic.

Kahe Point, Oahu, 25 feet

Uncommon in small groups in deep water near reefs.  Fins are orange;  robust body ranges from entirely gray to salmon with lighter bands.  Attains 22 inches and 8 pounds; frequently caught with handlines.  Spotty distribution in the Pacific including Hawaii, Okinawa, and Reunion.

Juvenile, Puako, Hawaii, 30 feet

Angel Ledge, Midway, 85 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 30 feet

Occasional in small groups along reef dropoffs.  Uses long barbels to force small animals out of holes; prefers fishes.  Gray-brown body with iridescent blue marks and yellow spot on caudal peduncle.  Yellow morph occurs outside Hawaii.  Attains 20 inches and 7 pounds.  Indo-Pacific.

Juvenile, Okoe Bay, Hawaii, 35 feet

Subadult, Okoe Bay, Hawaii, 35 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Occasional at scuba depths along rocky coasts.  Best identified by the broad white band around the caudal peduncle.  Juveniles are grayish while adults are cherry red to blue-violet.  Formerly known as P. bifasciatus.  Attains 16 inches and 4 pounds.  Hawaii, Micronesia, Ogasawara, Samoa to Pitcairn.  Related to P. crassilabris and P. trifasciatus. 

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 30 feet

Angel Ledge, Midway Atoll, 75 feet

Juvenile, Ke'ei, Hawaii, 25 feet

Faga'alu, American Samoa, 10 feet

Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 40 feet

Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 40 feet

Haleiwa Trench, Oahu, 10 feet

Sea Cave, Oahu, 65 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 30 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Sea Tiger Wreck, Oahu, 95 feet

Tonggs Wreck, Oahu, 15 feet

Atlantis Reef, Waikiki, Oahu, 100 feet

Common on reefs to 500 feet.  Numerous irregular black and white bars on red to purple background.  Large fish tend to be darker.  Color variable throughout its range.  Attains 10 inches.  Northwestern Australia to Hawaii and Pitcairn.

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 40 feet

Juvenile, Waimea Bay, Oahu, 30 feet

Juvenile, Waimea Bay, Oahu, 30 feet

Night, Tug Pier, Midway, 20 feet

Fairly common on sandy reefs at scuba depths.  Pale gray with large white area below the second dorsal fin followed by a black spot.  Night coloration is mottled red, white, and black.  Attains 13 inches.  Indo-Pacific.

Chromis, Midway, 60 feet

Mokapu, Oahu, 40 feet

Macaw wreck, Midway, 35 feet

Night, Honolua Bay, Maui, 30 feet

Fish Hole, Midway, 30 feet

Juvenile, Haleiwa Trench, Oahu, 15 feet

Juvenile, Haleiwa Trench, Oahu, 15 feet

Juvenile, Haleiwa Trench, Oahu, 15 feet

Juvenile, Haleiwa Trench, Oahu, 15 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Makua, Oahu, 10 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Formerly common in shallow nearshore waters but subject to fishing pressure.  Rests in small caverns and under boulders during the day.  Bright pink with small white spot on caudal peduncle and dark stripes extending rearward from the eye.  Highly prized as food.  Juveniles greenish brown.  Attains 20 inches and 7 pounds.  Related to P. ischyrus and P. ciliatus.

Kure Atoll, 50 feet

Kure Atoll, 50 feet

Subadult, Waikiki Aquarium

Subadult, Waikiki Aquarium

Endemic to Hawaii.  Rare at Kure, Midway, and Pearl & Hermes Reef on sandy reefs at scuba depths, beyond diving depths in the main Hawaiian islands.  White with reddish brown stripes and yellow barbels.  Attains 9 inches.

Juvenile, Waikiki Aquarium

Juvenile, Waikiki Aquarium

Fairly common in lagoons and calm water to 120 feet.  Up to 10 inches.  Western and Central Pacific, absent from Hawaii.

Wakatobi, Indonesia

Wakatobi, Indonesia

Occasional on reefs, feeding near dawn & dusk.  Attains 10 inches.  Western Australia to Okinawa and Tonga.  Formerly known as P. bifasciatus.  Related to P. insularis and P. trifasciatus.

Endemic to Japan and the Ogasawara Islands.  Related to P. ciliatus and P. porphyreus.  Attains 15 inches.

Chileno Beach, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, 10 feet

Found on sandy reefs from Southern California to Peru and the Galapagos.  Attains 13 inches.

Grand Bahama Island, 40 feet

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