Reef Fish

Reef Fish produces laminated underwater identification slates printed with illustrated guides to reef fish species found in the Indo-Pacific region. Used underwater by scuba divers and snorkellers, the slates let divers identify species they encounter on the reef in real time - comparing the fish in front of them against the illustrations and markings on the slate without surfacing to consult a book or app.

The slate is typically worn on the wrist or carried clipped to a BCD D-ring. When a diver encounters an unfamiliar fish, they hold the slate up alongside or near the fish and match the body shape, fin configuration, colour pattern, and markings against the illustrated reference. A pencil attached to the slate allows the diver to note species names or sketching marks for less confident identifications to verify post-dive.

Reef Fish slates cover the reef fish species most commonly encountered by recreational divers across the Indo-Pacific - the region that includes Malaysian waters from the Coral Triangle around Sabah and Borneo through to the Andaman Sea. Common families covered include triggerfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, grouper, snapper, wrasse, and parrotfish, alongside the iconic species that divers at Sipadan and Mabul specifically encounter: bumphead parrotfish, humphead wrasse, barracuda schools, and reef sharks.

The laminated construction is designed for underwater use - the illustration printing is sealed between waterproof laminate layers that withstand repeated saltwater immersion without fading, delaminating, or losing legibility. The pencil writes on the surface of the laminate and erases cleanly for the next dive, or the noted species can be transferred to a logbook before erasing. The slates are designed to last many seasons of regular diving use.

Identifying species by name transforms a fish encounter from a visual experience into a knowledge one - knowing that the large wrasse following you along the reef at Sipadan is a humphead wrasse, or that the school of silver fish at depth is a chevron barracuda aggregation, deepens the connection to the underwater environment. Divers who use ID slates consistently report greater engagement with each dive and more detailed, meaningful logbook entries.

Fish ID slates are useful from the very first open water dive. Beginners typically encounter common species - clownfish, parrotfish, triggerfish, reef sharks - that are all illustrated on comprehensive Indo-Pacific slates. The identification process also encourages slower, more observational diving behaviour that benefits buoyancy development. Identifying and naming species on every dive builds a reference library that makes each successive dive progressively more rewarding.