Fish Head

Fish Head, also known as Mendhoo Thila, is a coral thila in Ari Atoll in the Maldives, rising from deeper water inside the atoll to within a few metres of the surface. It is well known for grey reef sharks that patrol the site, along with large groupers and schooling reef fish drawn to the overhangs and caves cut into the thila. The reef bottom reaches a maximum depth of around 30 metres, and the site is rated intermediate, usually dived as a drift due to current sweeping across the thila. Divers have also reported eagle rays, fusiliers, mantis shrimp, humphead wrasse, nudibranchs, octopus and tuna around the site. Because of the current and the depth of its lower sections, it suits divers with some experience rather than a first open water outing.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Eagle rayEagle rayReported here · unconfirmed
• FusilierFusilierReported here · unconfirmed
• TunaTunaReported here · unconfirmed
• OctopusOctopusReported here · unconfirmed
• NudibranchNudibranchReported here · unconfirmed
• Mantis shrimpMantis shrimpReported here · unconfirmed
• Whitetip Reef SharkTriaenodon obesusReported here · unconfirmed
• Giant MorayGymnothorax javanicusReported here · unconfirmed
• Acropora validaReported here · unconfirmed
• Clark's AnemonefishAmphiprion clarkiiReported here · unconfirmed
• Longfin BatfishPlatax teiraReported here · unconfirmed
• Varicose Wart SlugPhyllidia varicosaReported here · unconfirmed
• Emperor AngelfishPomacanthus imperatorReported here · unconfirmed
• Blackfin AnemonefishAmphiprion nigripesReported here · unconfirmed
• Hawksbill Sea TurtleEretmochelys imbricataReported here · unconfirmed
• Spotted LinckiaLinckia multiforaReported here · unconfirmed
• Napoleon (humphead) wrasseNapoleon (humphead) wrasseReported here · unconfirmed