Jewel-like fish darted around the underwater reef, their bright colors a stark contrast to the lurking shadows of hundreds of sharks.
Here's why the original sentence was problematic:
* Tense inconsistency: The sentence uses both present tense ("circle") and past tense ("have hunted"). This creates a confusing timeline.
* Awkward phrasing: "Hundreds of sharks have hunted them in packs" sounds a bit clunky and doesn't quite convey the dynamic action of the scene.
* Ambiguity: The original sentence implies that the sharks are currently hunting the fish, which isn't clear from the wording.
The revised sentence clarifies the tense, adds more vivid imagery, and conveys a sense of danger and tension in the scene.