Oriental Sweetlips

Photo: David R · CC BY-NC

Schools of oriental sweetlips hover in loose formation beneath coral ledges and around bommie bases at Passikudah, their bold black-and-white striped juvenile patterning giving way to the spotted adult colouration in a striking ontogenetic transformation. They are nocturnal feeders on invertebrates and small fish, spending daylight hours in stationary aggregations that may mix with other Plectorhinchus species. Their willingness to tolerate diver approach on undisturbed reefs makes them a signature fish of Passikudah's less-visited reef system.