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| A Giant Red Snapper swims up close with a Remora firmly attached to its back in Mombasa Marine Park Kenya |
Beginning its juvenile life in the protection of mangrove estuaries and creeks, red snapper fingerlings are extremely vulnerable in their early months due to predation by man, birds and other larger fish that comb the underwater mangrove root systems. If it happens to survive the odds, the sub adult red snapper then migrates to the ocean's inner reef and finally offshore to deeper reef systems once it has reached full maturity. Reaching sizes of over one meter in length, this mesopredator is generally nocturnal and crepuscular where its aggressive hunting capabilities make it an expert at catching smaller fish and crustaceans.
While snorkeling at the Mombasa Marine Park, i was extremely excited to see this large red snapper find a new home in this very active reef. Being extremely curious of my presence, it would fearlessly swim right up to me and gently curve away showing off its beautiful red colour and size. Watching the remora cling to this fantastic fish added to the excitement and i spent about 30 minutes in its presence before it quietly moved along.
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| Giant Red Snapper with a Remora in Kenya |
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