I'll start a new thread with some more pictures.





















Help me out; is this Black Coral?

Richard, your pictures do not appear to be working.

Edit ... my mistake, it was my computer that is not working.

(Message edited by pp01862 on March 15, 2008)

Beautiful pictures. Thank you for posting them.

Great turtle shot!!!! Keep em coming. Pictures is all I get between trips...keeps my spirits up until I return!

Looks like the one you are questioning is a walking crinoid! AWESOME.....can I hire you to take pics for me on my upcoming trip in mid May?!

Thanks for sharing....I'm just wowed.

Thanks Kobi. You got me on the right track in my Humann and Deloach books; I was looking under corals; this is in the reef creature ID book. This appears to be a Black & White Crinoid, a member of the sea star family.

We have found several of these over the years and they typically hang out a little deeper, usually 60-80 ft.

You are welcome and your ID is spot on! Really cool to catch them on a walkabout; unique for sure!
Again, you really have great talent! Thanks for sharing......

(Message edited by ayorkiemom on March 15, 2008)

WOW...WOW...WOW!!!
What fabulous pictures!

Great photos. We saw a fish with the isopods...can you tell me more about those....we didn't know what they were...glad you labeled your photo.

Richard -

The photos are inspiring; thank you for posting them.

Would you please tell what is the fish in the 7th (from top) picture, the fish with seemingly white/green/red lateral bands? If there are labels on the photographs, they are not showing on my display.

Gracias.

Charles Poteet
Dallas

the "mystery" fish is a parrott fish in it's pajamas i belive...maybe one in the intermediate phase...shot at night...i think we really are supposed to refrain from shooting sleeping fish but if so how does one know they are sleeping?

Bob -

Thank you, fooled me!

Charles Poteet
Dallas

Awesome pictures. We will be there Friday and cant wait.

Been out of touch for the past couple of days so it's time to catch up.

The picture of the juvenile parrot fish was taken during the day; none of my dives this trip were night dives.

Here's what my Humann and Deloach book has to say about isopods: Isopods are not true parasites. Instead of dining on the tissue of a host, single individuals or mated pairs attach to the head region of reef fishes with several pairs of hook-like legs and benignly scavenge specks of floating food from the water. Once associated with a fish, they lose their ability to swim and remain where they settle for life.

The fish in this picture had an isopod on both sides of its head. You can barely see the other one if you look closely. I have another picture that shows both of them more clearly and I will try to post it later.

It's strange, but the only type fish I have seen on Bonaire with isopods are the creolefish. Has anyone seen them attached to a different host?

Here's another fix for those suffering from PBD. Mine is at a peak right about now!

AWESOME!!!!!!!

Thanks again; loving them all!!!

Oh, Richard. Those are nice. We need more.

Just awesome -- your focus is spot on.
That poor fish with the isopods looks quite unhappy, but then again I would be too if something attached to my face for life!!!

Thank you for taking the time to share.