A Needlefish is swimming near the surface of the ocean at Front Porch Reef on the island of Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles. I saw a lot of Needlefish every morning when I would swim near the beach at Front Porch Reef. This Needlefish is about 9 inches long. It swims quietly near the surface. Its long, thin, silvery body is hidden by sunlight on the ripples and waves. Then with a flick of its tail, it darts quickly to catch a small fish.

Numerous and common in the early morning, the Needlefish went elsewhere by the middle of the morning. I saw 20 or 30 Needlefish swimming together nearly every morning.