Colourful business - Noam Kortler - Wildlife Photographer of the Year2008

2008: Underwater Worlds - Highly Commended

Noam Kortler Enlarge image Colourful business

Noam Kortler (Israel)

Colourful business

'Fish that cruise past get a quick clean - whether they want one or not. Most big reef fish, though, make a point of turning up at the cleaning station for a daily grooming session, which can last several minutes. Queues can form as reef fish wait their turn.' Moses Rock, off the coast of Eilat, Israel, is a regular cleaning station for large reef fish. Similar cleaning stations occur in shallow reefs in tropical water around the world. Big fish, like the dazzling bullethead parrotfish, hold their mouth open so a little cleaner fish can peck inside for parasites. The cleaner fish advertises its identity, and its services, with its black-striped costume and a special jerky swim.

Nikon D2x + Nikon 105mm f2.8G VR micro lens; 1/125 sec at f13; ISO 100; Seacam housing; two Ikelite DS125 strobes.

This photograph is available to buy as a print.