Bali’s famous Liberty shipwreck and expansive coral reefs in Tulamben are home to hundreds of fish species. Many of these fish feature bright colors and bold patterns that captivate divers and serve as striking subjects for underwater photography. Of Tulamben’s vibrant reef fish, the sweetlips fish does not disappoint. It stands out as one of the most conspicuous fish divers can see.
What do sweetlips fish look like?
There are numerous species of sweetlips that you can see when diving in Tulamben including the oriental sweetlips (Plectorhinchus vittatus), oblique-banded sweetlips (Plectorhinchus lineatus), ribboned sweetlips (Plectorhinchus polytaenia), and harlequin sweetlips (Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides). Though the appearance differs slightly between the species, all sweetlips possess the large, puffy lips that inspired their name.
Oriental Sweetlips
The oriental sweetlips is the species most often seen in Tulamben. Oriental sweetlips fish are known for their distinct appearance which makes them easy to identify on the reef. Adult oriental sweetlips fish have pronounced black and white stripes that stretch lengthwise along their bodies. Towards the front of their head and the top of their bodies, the stripes are stained yellow instead of white. Many of their bright yellow fins are also boldly patterned but with black cheetah-like spots rather than the zebra-esque stripes.
Oriental sweetlips fish don’t get their characteristic stripes until they are adults. When they are juveniles, oriental sweetlips flaunt a brown, white, and yellow mottled pattern.
Oriental sweetlips fish are larger than most reef fish. They can reach a maximum size of approximately 72 centimeters (28 inches) in length.
Oblique-Banded Sweetlips
At first glance, you might think oblique-banded sweetlips, also known as yellow-banded sweetlips, are the same as orientals. But look closer and you’ll notice some clear differences in appearance between the two species.
While oblique-banded sweetlips also have black and white stripes, they run diagonally instead of horizontally across their bodies and are thinner than the oriental’s. These stripes only cover the top half of the fish while the lower belly is a solid light grayish white. As the stripes get closer to the belly they break apart and look more like spots. The oblique-banded sweetlips’ tail, dorsal, and anal fins are also yellow with black spots.
Juvenile oblique-banded sweetlips display several thick horizontal dark brown stripes. As the fish grows, the stripes multiply and become increasingly diagonal.
Ribboned Sweetlips
The ribboned sweetlips fish is also known as the yellow-ribbon sweetlips. Like its oriental cousin, the ribboned sweetlips’ body is adorned with horizontal stripes. However, as its secondary name suggests, yellow is more predominant in the ribboned sweetlips coloring. The ribboned sweetlips stripes are yellow and white with thin black edges, and their fins are solid yellow without any decoration.
While Juvenile ribboned sweetlips do have stripes, they are different in appearance than when they’re mature. Juvenile ribboned sweetlips have just a few thick, black stripes and thin streaks of white on their orange-brown bodies. As they grow older, the black narrows to an outline and the stripes become yellow, with more stripes appearing as they age.
Ribboned sweetlips maximum length is smaller than orientals with the largest individuals reaching 50 centimeters (20 inches).
Harlequin Sweetlips
Harlequin sweetlips are easier to distinguish from the other species. While they have the same fleshy lips, their ornamentation is notably different. Their light bodies and fins are covered in dark spots instead of stripes. Their coloring is less vibrant since they lack the bright yellow accents their cousins have.
Juvenile harlequin sweetlips fish look markedly different from their mature counterparts. Their brown bodies are splattered with large white splotches outlined in dark brown. This serves as camouflage among coral reefs. These juvenile fish swim in a dance-like manner that captivates underwater photographers. Their rapid undulating movement mimics that of a toxic flatworm, serving as a defense mechanism against predators.
Where can you see sweetlips fish?
While sweetlips are a common sight in the waters around Tulamben, this is not the case in all parts of the world. These species of sweetlips are only found in the warm, tropical waters of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.
In Tulamben, oriental sweetlips are frequently seen and can be spotted at every dive site. While it is possible to spot the other species, they are not nearly as common.
Juvenile oriental sweetlips are usually found in shallower water, hiding around coral formations and rocky areas. Adults tend to inhabit deeper waters compared to juveniles. They like to congregate around the reefs in small groups of up to 15 fish.
Dive in Tulamben
Sweetlips are just some of the hundreds of fish species you can see when diving in Tulamben. The dive sites here are known for their rich marine biodiversity, making it one of the best places to dive in Bali.
If you’re interested in diving in Bali, please send us a message to book your Tulamben dive. Our dive center is conveniently located in the center of Tulamben and our local guides are experts at spotting marine life.
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