See the Devil Scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis diabolus) in Gili Air
We love weird and wonderful critters at Two Fish Gili Air Resort!
Devil Scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis diabolus) have venomous spines that run down the length of their backs and pectoral fins with bright colours that are a warning sign for danger. They are masters of camouflage that usually feed at dusk, waiting on the ocean floor or coral reefs to ambush their prey. They like to eat crustaceans and small fish that unknowingly cross their path. Their mouths are relatively large in proportion to the rest of them and they create a vacuum technique to suck and swallow their prey (small fish and crustaceans) whole!
The fascinating, yet deadly Devil Scorpionfish, can be found in depths ranging from 1m to 70m and can grow up to 30cm in length. Because Devil Scorpionfish sometimes rest in shallow water, there is risk of stepping on it if you are walking into the water, so best not to walk in the water if you can’t see what’s down there! It’s also possible to mistake the Devil Scorpionfish for coral during a dive so remember to listen to our dive briefings – we tell you not to touch anything for your own safety! A sting from one of these fish is incredibly painful and treatment involves immersion in very hot water to break down one of the toxins and you’re probably going to want some medication for pain relief.
Fortunately, stings from Devil Scorpionfish seldom occur and only take place if one is touched accidentally or the fish is threatened. Scorpionfish are not aggressive, but like so many of the wonderful creatures under the sea, they are great at blending in with their surroundings and have some seriously stinging defense mechanisms. We can see scorpionfish on most of our dives around the Gili Islands, so ask your guide to point one out and hopefully you’ll be able to see that it is a fish and not a rock or part of the coral!
The cool kids: Olle, Miranda & Komang
Our little island remains quiet as low season continues, and travel plans are put on hold or disrupted due to the current COVID-19 crisis. To those already traveling in Indonesia, there’s no better time to try out scuba diving! This week we welcomed Olle and Miranda from Sweden. Miranda is a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and her boyfriend, Olle, was nervous about trying scuba diving for the first time. Fortunately, Olle was curious about what Miranda loves so much about the underwater world and after discussing a plan to do the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program one-on-one with instructor Komang, Olle decided to give it a try! We’re so happy he joined us and he loved every minute of it! We hope he will become a certified diver during their holiday!
Our team got to work early in the week implementing some new procedures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to keep our equipment and environment clean and comfortable for our guests, as is being done at all of our Two Fish locations. The crew took time to remove and sterilize all the regulator mouthpieces and snorkels, so each guest will have sterile mouthpieces attached to their rental regulators on arrival and they will not be shared between guests. Some other simple measures have been implemented and you can read more about them on our website.
While we are waiting for our new Divemaster candidates to arrive, we will continue to make small improvements around our dive centre, preparing the classroom for upcoming Advanced, Rescue and EFR courses and taking guest out for some fun diving! We have the boat going out almost every day next week so why not join us and see the best diving spots around the Gili islands?
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