Need Help with identification

Hi guys,

i shot this last month and was wondering what it is. Neville says that he's not seen see in before. Other guesses from fish experts were terrabella and pipefish. Please help to confirm, thanks

Wow, I wouldn't have thought this was anything but a sand and debris encrusted stick. Wonderful camouflage. How did it move?

Wow, I wouldn't have thought this was anything but a sand and debris encrusted stick. Wonderful camouflage. How did it move?

it actually wriggle a bit .. so that caught my attention... But i still need confirmation on its species.. Pls help fish experts

I've gotta say it does look like one of those rather rare and unusual bark fish!

Hi Graham,

Could we confirm this, cos i've had guys saying that its a pipefish, terrabella and now a bark fish. heheh.. Was hoping that its a new finding? Please advise.

Looks like debris to me too. Sorry Imran.

Alex

Any other photos? It looks like debris to me as well, but if you're still in doubt, more photos will help

I'm still fairly sure it's a bark fish. I've seen lots and been shown lots too. I've even pointed out dugongs and other lareg animals only to find out a few seconds later that it's a greater bark fish, otherwise known as a log.

Funny thing is, photo journalist Ethan Gordon, who happens to now be the editor of Fathoms, was the reason I came about this name. He got ribbed for a whole trip, so much so that he ended up writing an article about the barkfish he kept finding.

Don't worry even us dive guides find them from time to time.

I'm still fairly sure it's a bark fish. I've seen lots and been shown lots too. I've even pointed out dugongs and other lareg animals only to find out a few seconds later that it's a greater bark fish, otherwise known as a log.

 

Funny thing is, photo journalist Ethan Gordon, who happens to now be the editor of Fathoms, was the reason I came about this name. He got ribbed for a whole trip, so much so that he ended up writing an article about the barkfish he kept finding.

 

Don't worry even us dive guides find them from time to time.

Hi guys,

Is what your seeing debris? Is a log considered as a non living thing? cos it wriggle and shun away and from the camera from time to time...

I still think it's a bark fish, don't worry I've been known to get things wrong too!

It does look like a piece of debris that has been covered in algae and other small marine invertebrates.

Hi Graham,

Thanks for the heads up. Its confirmed not a piece of debris. I had 2 other divers with me. Well, hopefully, i'll get this mess sought out. Thanks for your help.

Hi Imran,

Did either of the other divers have a camera - maybe one of them took a shot that made it look more alive. Even a bad picture could be useful.

Alex

here is something similar, this i believe is a pygmy pipehorse, please correct me if i am wrong on the ID.

not a great shot i know, but the eye and snout are more pipefish shapelike than the other image.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/262698...0a21c105e_b.jpg

The "right angle" on the head of the first specimen makes it look different from the pipehorse or pipefish shown above. In the spirit of "Touch the Sea", next time you come across a debrisfish, put your finger to it, and see if it swims away, or toward you. If it swims toward you, perhaps you'll be in for a cleaning.

here's another pic.

The "right angle" on the head of the first specimen makes it look different from the pipehorse or pipefish shown above. In the spirit of "Touch the Sea", next time you come across a debrisfish, put your finger to it, and see if it swims away, or toward you. If it swims toward you, perhaps you'll be in for a cleaning.

Yep, the only way to find out if a critter really is a non benthic animal is to put a finger near it, it'll either move away or, bite your finger off - only joking about the finger bit!

Yep, the only way to find out if a critter really is a non benthic animal is to put a finger near it, it'll either move away or, bite your finger off - only joking about the finger bit!

I did, cos it was shunning away from the camera. It moved and reacted like a pgmy seahorse

Imran - Our member ATJ is a friend of Rudie Kuiter's. Rudie is an expert who wrote the popular guide to sea horses & pipefish. Why dont't you send ATJ a PM & ask him to forward your images to Rudie? Let us know if you get an reply from Rudie. Good luck -

Rudie says it is not a fish. He thinks if anything it might be a worm that covers its tube with debris.

Thanks Andrew.

Imran, in order to solve this mystery, I think you'll just have to drop everything you're doing to go back & keep diving until you find it again!