A quick clip of the first-ever sighting of a bony-eared assfish (#Acanthonus armatus) in Okinawa! #bonyearedassfish #assfish #acanthonusarmatus #deepseacreatures #deepseafish #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater

A larval-stage Brama pomfret clings to a ctenophore (comb jelly). #pomfret #brama #bramidae #larvalfish #ctenophore #combjelly #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug

I presume this is a type of Myctophidae lanternfish, but I’m not 100% sure. TL ~2.5cm Shot offshore from Palm Beach, FL in Feb2025 #lanternfish #myctophidae #deepseafish #fishlarvae #larvalfish #deepseacreatures #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater

A big, beautiful, bebeh whalefish, drifting with the plankton over the nighttime abyss. Body without the crazy “tapetail” is ~6cm #whalefish #tapetail #deepseafish #deepwater #deepsea #deepseacreatures #larvalfish #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater

#Ctenophores! There are soooo many types! Did you know some aren’t pelagic, but rather benthic, so the live on the bottom, or, in this case, attached to this sea star?!? The tentacles aren’t stingy, so yes, they’re safe to lick. 👅 #ctenophore #tulamben #gug #cheisgug #gugunderwater #fishnerd

You may trick all the predator fish into believing that you’re just a floating leaf, but I see you, bebeh #batfish! I was diving no deeper than 8’ from the surface, shooting all the plastic pollution from my post last week, and I spotted this little gem, just drifting along with all the debris.

The most Thanksgiving turkey-looking creature in the sea! This is the Pegasus #SeaMoth that I shot last week in #tulamben. Super easy to shoot, but impossible to shoot well - I still don’t have any shot of them that I’d call “good”. #pegasusseamoth #Eurypegasusdraconis #muckdiving #tulambenbali

“Flocean #2” From the Flocean Collection of abstract beachscape prints. 96” x 48” It’s rare that I get a private concert while installing my art! Call, email, or stop by in to the Lauderdale showroom and we’ll get that empty wall transformed into an elevated space filled with joyful ocean art!

Straight outta Arrakis Like the worm riders in Dune, an imperator shrimp rides atop of this 3” nudibranch. They’ve stayed together in the same spot for 4 weeks now! #nudibranch #symbiosis #imperatorshrimp #emperorshrimp #seaslug #gug #gugunderwater #chrisgug #tulamben #tulambenbali

The most common fish in the ocean in 2025. All shot on one dive last week, along with another hundred or so. There is no “away”.

I have a feeling that soon there is going to be a lot more of these little peanut-size #pelagic #heteropods! Everywhere I turned, there was another pair doing the horizontal no-pants romance dance. #heteropoda #seaangel #seabutterfly #blackwaterdiving #okinawa #gugunderwater #gug #mollusk

This little 1” goby chose the most beautiful spot for its home!

1st photo: what NOT to do with an underwater camera. 2nd photo: for context to explain what the heck is going on. #eel #moray #morayeel #gymnothorax #giantmoray #giantmorayreel #tulamben #tulambenbali #bali #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater

Finally downloaded the memory card from the past 8 days of shooting, and this is the very last frame, shot tonight while collecting my bonfire lights. #squid #cephalopod #tulamben #bali #gug

While I don’t think anyone has made a specific designation between “larval” and “adult”, in the moorish idol, I’m going to label this one “post-larval” #moorishidol #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #kumejima #okinawa #chrisgug #gug #gugunderwater

The most colorful #squid I’ve ever seen! And such a cooperative poser too! #🦑 #cephalopod #chromatophores #calamari #underwater #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #blackwatervideo #kumeisland #kumejima #okinawa #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug

Ctenophores, more commonly called comb jellies, are pretty much everywhere in all oceans, but they’re incredibly hard to see during the day. But at night... #combjelly #colloblasts #blackwaterdiving #blackwater #blackwaterphotography #okinawa #kume #kumejima #chrisgug #gug #gugunderwater

Crazy-looking larval cusk eel with an impressive external gut. We’re still not sure why having the intestines on the outside is advantageous, but there must be a good reason 🤔 TL ~2.5cm #cuskeel #larvalfish #deepseafish #deepseacreatures #blackwaterdiving #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug

How cute! This Bony-Eared Assfish has a pet amphipod! And yes, that’s the actual name of this this #fish - the bony-eared #assfish #Acanthonus armatus #cuskeel #bonyearedassfish #acanthonusarmatus #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #deepseafish #larvalfish #deepsea #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug

StarStruck From the SeaScapes Collection 60 x 40” Love the stone accent wall in this dining room! And it all comes together with a pop of color from the sea! Order standard sizes online, or call/email to discuss custom sizing, and if you’re in South FL, stop into the RCamm Art showroom in LbtS, FL

Jellyfish helmet! This larval-stage jack fish (aka trevally) is living inside the #jellyfish for protection against whatever might come his way. #jackfish #trevalley #jellyfish #🪼 #symbiosis #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater #okinawa #kume #kumejima

One of the smallest Armored Sea Robins that I’ve ever seen - its body a little larger than a pea. This is the same species featured in my Aliens Collection Print, “Alien #27”. #armoredsearobin #searobin #larvalfish #deepseafish #blackwaterdiving #gurnard #chrisgug #gug #gugunderwater

Here’s a weird one for ya - even by my standards! This #crab has a pair of #barnacles growing out of its forehead! This crab is in an early life stage known as #Megalopa #parasitism #symbiosis #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #okinawa #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug

The largest larval-stage #Lucibrotula corethromycter cusk eel I’ve ever seen! #cuskeel #larvalfish #deepseafish #deepsea #deepseacreatures #lucibrotula #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater #scubadiving #underwater

A young #argonaut #octopus (aka “paper #nautilus”) hitches a ride atop a muave stinger #jellyfish. #papernautilus #symbiosis #muavestinger #🐙 #🪼 #blackwater #blackwaterphotography #blackwaterdiving #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug #kumejima #okinawa #marinelife

A beautifully-crowned #Tonguefish larvae (#Cynoglossidae sp.), drifting with the #plankton in #Okinawa. Don’t worry - it gets more “tongue-y” as it gets to its adult stage. #flatfish #fishlarvae #deepseafish #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater

I slowed down this vid in the beginning, but let it get to its actual real speed - crazy! Admittedly, I kept wondering how this #polychaete #worm would be in a marinara sauce, covered in pecorino romano🤤 Shot in #Okinawa. #marineworm #polychaeteworm

First (and only) time seeing this species - and this doesn’t appear to be a larval-stage - perhaps a juvenile, just post-metamorphosis. #soapfish #larvalsoapfish #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #chrisgug #gug #gugunderwater

I’ve watched this pair of #clownfish through two full breeding cycles over the past month and a half - as of yesterday morning, they’re empty nesters once again. It’s been cool documenting the whole process and watching the eggs develop. #anemone #tulamben #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater

New print release in the Fish Faces Collection! “TURTLE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN”. See the full story behind the shot at gugunderwater.com/item/turtle-... Originally shot as a horizontal image, it’s quite flexible, so it also works well as a vertical, square, or panoramic crop.

I’ve never seen so many anemones in all my life! Every surface covered in anemones as far as the eye could see! . . #anemone #clownfish #anemonefish #emperorangelfish #tulamben #bali #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug

The weedy #rhinopias (Rhinopias frondosa) is a holy grail species for any fish nerd, and I returned to shoot this guy several days in a row. #rhinopiasfrondosa #weedyrhinopias #chrisgug #gug #gugunderwater

I mean…. It’s gotta tickle, right? A scarlet cleaner shrimp plays doctor with an emperor angelfish from last week. #cleaningstation #symbiosis #scarletcleanershrimp #emperorangelfish #tulamben #bali #chrisgug #gug #gugunderwater

This little 1” goby is caring for several clutches of eggs. The newest ones are more solid, while the most mature have little eyeballs and tails inside. She had glued all of them to this tunicate. #goby #gobywitheggs #gobyeggs #tulamben #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug

Had a surprise encounter with this massive Bluespotted Pufferfish. He was huuuuungry, and chomped away at this & that on the reef. #bluespottedpufferfish #pufferfish #arothron #arothtoncaeruleopunctatus #bali #tulamben #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug #scubadiving #underwater

Found this cute little 1” #goby living on a feathery #SeaPen today while looking for something completely different. Tomorrow will be my first day not diving in 3.5 weeks - gotta head to the city to restock “supplies”🍷 #tulamben #muckdiving #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater

Arguably one of my very favorite photo subjects - the schooling coral catfish. I’ve probably seen this >500 times in my days, but for me, it never gets old. And BTW - no licking 😝- venomous spines. #coralcatfish #plotosuslineatus #catfish #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug #tulamben #marinelife

Another of my “Images Unsorted” folders ✔️ This time from 18 & 19 May, 2024 In order, we have 1) #DiamondSquid 2) “monstrous” shrimp 3) unidentified #scorpionfish 4) #gurnard 5) #codlett 6) unidentified #CuskEel 7) shrimp riding a #PelagicNudibranch #deepseafish #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #gug

Against All Odds From the SeaScapes Collection 68” X 42” A stunning “welcome home” when walking through the front door. Love the planned architectural framing & lighting! It’s available from 16x24” up to 300” wide in any custom size needed to fit your space!

The next generation is safe behind those teeth! Yesterday, I spotted this pregnant dad Tiger #Cardinalfish (#Cheilodipterus macrodon) #mouthbrooding his eggs. #tigercardinalfish #cheilodipterusmacrodon #tulamben #tulambenbali #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug

The so-called “Monster Shrimp” is the larval stage of the deep sea-dwelling Cerataspis monstrosa. #cerataspismonstrosa #deepseacreatures #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater

Eventually, this #wahoo will become one of the fastest predators of the open ocean, but for now, it’s just a 1” bebeh. Shot on #scuba, several miles offshore from West Palm Beach, FL, out over deep water, at night.

Freaky fishies & other gooey things from 15-17May2024. 1 & 2) two different species of #dragonfish 3) #anglerfish 4) male #nautilus #octopus riding a salp 5) #phronima in a #salp 6) #scaleworm 7) #whalefish #larvalfish #deepseafish #blackwaterdiving #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater

I’m always a sucker for a fish living inside a jellyfish! Much like the clownfish is resistant to the sting of its anemone, some jacks & driftfish & others use #jellyfish as a mobile home, receiving protection from predators.

Cutest larval anglerfish EVER!

Whalefish are often called tapetails when in their larval stage. This one’s tail was ~4x its 1.5” body length. #whalefish #tapetail #cetomimidae #larvalfish #deepseafish #deepseacreatures #ditropichthysstoreri #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater

Not uncommon, but always beautiful; the ever flappy-flappy #pelagic #SeaButterfly #Pteropod, Corolla spectabilis. This one is feeding, as can be seen by the mucus net that it’s currently reeling in. #corollaspectabilis #plankton #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater #ocean

Another folder of never-before seen Aliens dives has been sorted, and I present you with a collage of B-listers that would otherwise go unloved - this time from 9-13 May, 2024. Have fun zooming in!

Larval-stage #basslet Shot in the wild, several miles offshore from West Palm Beach, FL, USA, on scuba, out over the deep abyss, at night. #marinelife #blackwater #blackwaterdiving #blackwaterphotography #gug #chrisgug #gugunderwater #larvalfish

Done traveling for now & settled into Indonesia. A beautiful larval-stage #tripodfish flares its fins for my camera. A similar species to the one shown in my print, Alien #4. #bathypterois #marinelife #deepseafish #blackwaterdiving #underwater #scubadiving #chrisgug #gug #gugunderwater