It's not a mutant fish nor a piscine wizard. ( I still think it is. ) The source of the light is actually the defense of the clever, microscopic animal who just wants to get through the day without being gobbled up. Is that too much to ask?The see-through cardinalfish evolved in lockstep with tiny little crustaceans called ostracods. The millimeter-long creatures sometimes get swallowed by the fish while they're looking for their actual food: plankton. To avoid passing through the digestive system of the fish, the ostracods evolved a brilliant defense: they light up. Since the cardinalfish's body is see through, their glowing bodies turn them into easy targets for their own predators. Once the fish realizes that it's turned into a tasty fireworks parade, it spits the ostracod out and both critters can get on with their lives.
When in the Similan islands if you decide to go on one of the many similan islands liveaboard trip you will certainly get the chance for a night dive. Yes you will see some very odd creatures plus marvel at the green sparks that fly from your fins and every part of you as you disturb the luminecent plankton. But I have yet to see anything like like this in the Similans yet but now we know what to look for who knows. It's a fascinating glimpse into the sneaky ways evolution has come up with that allow different animals to avoid becoming someone else's lunch. The cardinalfish probably became translucent to avoid being seen by its predators. But it's a double-edged sword: the ostracods evolved their light show because it renders the cardinalfish's main defense completely useless. And both adaptations are the result of millions of years of slow, unintelligent, tinkering.
So next time you are in phuket scuba diving keep a look out for these little guys. During the day you will totally miss them unless you already know what to look for but if you do find them then its certainly worth popping back for a night dive. There are so many phuket tours to world famous tourist sights and attractions like James Bond Island that attracts thousands each year but nothing as spectacular as this little guy. So for all scuba divers book yourself onto a phuket safari to the similan islands and get a couple of night dives in. You just never know.
Now as for the Game fishing phuket is famous for I am not too sure you will be able to catch any of these or if the Phuket game fishing boats are equipped to deal with magical fish or what you use as bait but you may get a good chance at more normal fish like Tuna, Barracuda, marlin and sail Fish.
So the best thing to do if you are as yet a non diver. Go to a top dive shop like Thailand Divers and then see whats available. Then to discover scuba diving phuket is one of the top location in the world. Then as I am sure you will see so many awesome sights you will be hooked. Then to continue to the PADI open water course phuket will get to to so many amazing places in the three day course you will certainly be addicted to diving by the time you are finished. All of this is available right from your phuket hotel door.
Phuket Thailand really is a magical place.
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