Trumpetfish

Trumpetfish are a ubiquitous presence on Hawaiian reefs and are particularly numerous at Shark Fin Rock, where they use the pinnacle structure to ambush prey from above. They employ a distinctive shadow-hunting tactic — hovering vertically against surge kelp or coral heads to break their silhouette, then accelerating with a sudden vacuum-suction strike on small fish and shrimp. Their ability to rapidly change colour allows them to match different hosts and backgrounds, and they are frequently observed riding the bodies of larger fish such as parrotfish to approach prey without triggering an alarm response.