Sunday, January 10, 2016

The Nightmare Goatfish!

Bandtail Goatfish, Weke Pueo in Hawaiian, with a small Papio (Jack in English).  Small papio will hang out with goatfish, often eating small shrimp and other critters scared up off the bottom the by the goatfish, which grubs in the sand.  This particular somewhat uncommon goatfish is rumored to be hallucinogenic, if eaten (particularly the eyes and guts...bleah), causing nasty nightmares.  I'd bet it's caused by something that this particular goatfish eats.  Weke, pronounced veh-keh, is the generic name for goatfish in Hawaiian.  Pueo, if I recall, was owl in Hawaiian, perhaps alluding to the weird nightmares it causes when eaten.  As for me, I think it's one of the more beautiful goatfish and would just as soon leave it to live a long and happy life in the ocean.

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