French Polynesia/Taha’a: Clownfish aka Finding Nemo

The famous Nemo is a colorful species of a clownfish, a type of small tropical fish that forms a symbiotic relationship with sea anemones. Anemones protect their little dwellers from predators and the little Nemos are quick to hide in the anemone tentacles. In return, clownfish serve as an attraction for other fish that then become food for anemone. Two species of clownfish – one colored exactly like Nemo, and the other mostly black – could be seen during the drift snorkel in the fantastic coral garden of the Tahaa motu islets. And clownish are fiercely defensive about their anemone home, aggressively attaching anybody approaching, including humans in their snorkel masks.