Pacific Trumpetfish can be seen in many guises. They’re usually gray or brown according to my fish book, but can be yellow or black with a variety of stripes and bars added to their look, depending on circumstances. The purpose of all these looks is to blend in with their surroundings so that they can more easily ambush fish that are their prey.
The trumpetfish in these photos were accompanying Convict Tangs. The yellow look in the top photo is more often seen when they’re around Yellow Tangs, but the natty look in the bottom photo works better with the tangs and the area they’re swimming.
Pacific Trumpetfish are easily spotted while snorkeling, because they’re a decent size and have a much different look to the fish they accompany. This seems like a failure on their part, but when these fish are seen from the front, which is the view their prey have, they’re virtually invisible!
Graham's Island 
Trumpet fish are weird
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Trumpetfish are very weird, especially when they hang vertically in the water.
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that’s even weirder
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That’s very clever. Nature never ceases to entertain and educate me. I think the tang is pretty impressive, too, and will look up where they get the convict tag, no doubt because of my country’s history.
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Oh I had them the wrong way around. The stripes, then, earn them the convict tag no doubt.
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And so now I see the trumpetfish in the second photo, but only just.
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They can be very hard to see, even for swimmers, but it’s the head on look that’s hard to see. Probably why I’ve never manages to get a photo of that!
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Great reward and we’ve all taken part in it! Thank you.
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Yes, it’s the stripes. They swim around in schools so look like convicts in the exercise yard!
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