Category: Marine Life

Fish Profile: Mediterranean Damselfish (Chromis chromis)

27/7/2023

The Damselfish (Chromis chromis) is the most abundant fish in the Mediterranean sea and so often gets overlooked as it is just so common around us while we dive. But believe it or not this grey adult fish (left image) starts out its life as a bright, you could say 'neon', blue, when they are babies and juveniles (right image)!

Adults are 5-10cm long and have the distinctive forked tail and school around the rocky reef or sea grass from the shallows to depths of up to 30m.

A really remarkable fish (see the fascinating youtube video below). Here in Malta the babies hatch in early to mid July and then we are surrounded by these beautiful, tiny blue fish!

Adult Damselfish near common habitat of Posidonia (sea grass) meadows

Juvenile Damselfish

A very interesting video about Chromis chromis, filmed entirely while freediving:

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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Top 5 Marine Life to See While Freediving in Malta & Gozo

22/9/2022

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In this blog post I wanted to discuss some of the marine life of Malta & Gozo. The Mediterranean Sea can have a reputation for lacking marine life, and while not completely wrong, as a positive, it can encourage building an even greater appreciation of the smaller life and other details that can otherwise get overlooked in a crowded, tropical sea. Malta & Gozo are especially known for superb sea water visibility, with 30m of clear water common, as well as some really fascinating smaller marine life that can be very fun to observe while freediving.

Freediving is an under appreciated way to view underwater marine life. On scuba, of course you can stay longer, but you are also noisy and invasive with all the bubbles, equipment and disturbance that causes. Freediving allows you to get close without disturbing the marine life and gives a totally different interactive experience.

I am writing a little bit about my own observations with 5 of my favourite marine life, all of which can be found by freedivers and snorkellers around the Maltese Islands. Click the highlighted links for more detailed descriptions and video footage.

1) Ornate Wrasse (INFO):
One of my favourite fish, and one which surprise most people as their bright colourings make them appear almost as a tropical species. They are teritorial and will circle and get agitated if you (or nearly anything else alive in the water!) gets too close to them or their nest. Often overlooked because of their small size, they make up for it with vibrant colour and fun interaction.

2) Fried Egg Jellyfish (INFO):
One of the most beautiful jellyfish, as well as 'friendly' (they do not sting), they appear in later summer and early autumn sometimes in large congregations, floating past like an alien space ship (see photo below). And this spaceship often has a passenger... They have a symbiotic relationship with juvenile Amberjack who use the jellyfish for shelter and protection and who keep them clean in return.
Fried Egg Jellyfish VIDEO

3) Common Octopus (INFO):
One thing fairly numerous in Maltese waters are the common octopus. These can be super curious and I have observed them using pieces of glass as a shield to cover the entrance to their den and even with coins as they like to collect shiny things. See the video of a curious octopus grabbing my camera, below.
Common Octopus VIDEO

4) Grouper (INFO):
This fish can live up to 50 years and reach up to1.5m in length! Though as with octopus, that maturity is rare now around Malta. They are also very inquisitive and often watch you as you dive and if they back away, they still turn around to observe from the shelter and safety of a cave or other shelter.
Grouper VIDEO

5) Scorpionfish (INFO):
There are 3 species around Malta with the bigger version sometimes displaying a vivid red colour (which looks more brown underwater). They have a venomous spine so you must respect them, and they are often sitting still waiting for prey (normally small fish), to pass by. They don't get it all their own way though. I once observed a scorpionfish being hunted and eaten by a cuttlefish!

Click HERE for more detailed information about the species listed above, and many of the other marine life of the Maltaese Islands:

Fried Egg Jellyfish

By David Watson, Owner, Founder & Head Instructor / AIDA Instructor Trainer at One Breath Freediving

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Fish Profile: Mediterranean Damselfish (Chromis chromis)

Top 5 Marine Life to See While Freediving in Malta & Gozo

The joys of reef freediving

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