Muck diving in the Lembeh Straits of Sulawesi

A Peacock-Mantis shrimp tweaking its two big eyeballs outside its sea burrow.

Muck diving is different from typical reef diving. Rather than watching big fish swim past coral walls, it’s all about searching for “treasures” amidst dead corals, seagrass or human garbage on muddy sea floors. We are talking of critters which blend into the background habitat perfectly, for example an Ornate Ghost pipefish matching the colour and shape of a feather-star coral. Or camouflaged octopus hiding in the sand.

To compete and survive in the “big eat small” underwater kingdom, some marine life deploy “military” strategy. Some try camouflage while frogfish and nudibranchs exhibit vibrant colours warning of a distasteful meal for predators.