menpachi >>> u'u >>> brick soldierfish >>> (myripristis amaena)
a spiny red fish with large eyes...primarily active at night while feeding on small crustacean larvae and plankton, during the day they can be found in schools under overhangs and in caves...

the story...my friend laurent and i went for an afternoon dive outside of waikiki...we paddled out on our kayaks to check a favorite fish hole of ours...swimming down about 20 feet led to a crack filled with "menpachi"...using 3-prong spears, we quickly managed to turn our stringers bright red, until a chubby moray eel chased us away...this gyotaku captures the excitement as laurent and i first peered into the crack to find it filled with red eyes staring at us...