what's this?

trigger fish?

good, interesting pics;)

Your first picture looks like a Peppermint Shrimp.
Bill (Suzie's husband)

thanks Bill!!

Yes - I agree with Bill - it looks like a Peppermint Shrimp and I am AMAZED that you have picture of a hogfish. I have seen many Spanish Hogfish on Bonaire but I can't recall when, if ever I have seen a regular one. GREAT shots!

Here are a few more of the hogfish. I had no idea what it was, and it kept changing color and appearance before our eyes. ( After taking the basic fish ID course we bought the reef ID book)
Was not shy at all. this was at Tori's reef

Nell - good pics - thanks for posting
The hogfish is awesome! So is the ray & the seahorse.
Any more pics?
Glad you enjoyed yourselves

Nice job Nell.

Wow, thanks for posting those!

a few more photos: this first is a bad photo but the best I have of a BIG grouper 4-5 ft we saw at Oil Slick. (I have a short video)
A friend thought it might be a Yellow mouth, but did not see yellow mouth or fin. Definitely the biggest fish we saw!

Nice shots, Nell - and yes, that's a peppermint shrimp in the sponge. We like the way they "sway" when they're in a sponge like that. That's also the first hogfish we've heard of on the west side - have only seen one in Bonairean waters before and that was out in front of Lac Bay (where we also saw the only porkfish we've seen on Bonaire).

By the way, Nell, in the interest of keeping up with "friends" from our last trip to Bonaire at the end of October, 2006 - did you happen to find the frogfish at Something Special and the seahorse at Oil Slick?

Great pictures Nell! I suspect your grouper is a Tiger Grouper... I saw several of them at Oil slick my last trip, too!
Thanks for sharing!

thanks for the peppermint shrimp ID. Yes, he was definitely swaying in the sponge. (we referred to him as the dancing tube guy...can you tell we are new to this?:-))

Still trying to figure how to reduce the photo sizes on my new MAC. seems they really turn out small for posting..need to research this.

The seahorse I spotted at Oil Slick at the end of our dive in about15-20 ft. Probably 20-30 ft south of the mooring buoy. I could barely contain myself as this was the first one I had ever seen.

The frog fish was at Bari Reef. No credit for finding it. Jerry Ligon showed us the first time, and my husband Bill found it the next time we dove there.

Nice pics, Nell. I have never seen a hogfish on Bonaire, they are pretty rare! Cool that you saw one. One of my most favorite fish to see. Wish Bonaire had more of them. Thanks for sharing your pics. I am not so good at posting pics, so cannot help with getting them bigger.

Oh Wow! Great shots! I love the Spanish hog fish!! I have never seen one and would love to!

Nell - your big grouper is a Goliath Grouper - old name (Jew-fish)

Epinephelus itajra

(Message edited by muddysoapfish on January 3, 2007)

here's a link to more info on the Goliath...

click here for Goliath info

Thanks Timmmmy--
from the description it sure looks like it was a Goliath.

It was longer than any of the tarpon we say at Hilma Hooker, and bigger than any of the other groupers we saw.

We have them out on the Florida Gulf wrecks as big as Volkswagen Beetle's ....