Let's play the SW fish ID game

[blacktip]

You got it Blacktip! Is it me or are those spots really just white?

I would say those spots look white to me, but maybe they are more blue in real life.

Anyhow, here is the next fish:

 

[guppy]

I Have it, found your picture. It is the tilefish, Blue Blanquillo, (Malacanthus latovittatus)

You had me fooled for a bit though until I noticed the lip structure and that made me see how far back the dorsal starts, at first I was looking at the cleaner blennies, the the aspidontus mimics. Your guy gets a lot bigger.

 

[blacktip]

You got it guppy. We once got one of these in as a juvi way back when I worked in an aquarium store. Very cool when they are 2" - 3", but they do get large and are nowhere near as cool when they do.

 

[guppy]

Here is another one that goes through a pattern change as it ages

 

[blacktip]

I've seen this fish several times and recognized it right away, but I had never heard the name of it before. Thank goodness for the wonders of the internet.

This fish is Pholidichthys leucotaenia, the convict blenny.

I was at the Rainforest Cafe in San Francisco last weekend and the tank we sat next to had three of these guys that would poke their heads out and say hi to us.

 

[guppy]

They at least stay cute and not to big but they pair off and turn into craany dwellers when older. Great call Blacktip, your up.

 

[guppy]

Any guesses on the brackish game?

 

[blacktip]

Okay here's the next saltwater fish:

 

[guppy]

Well I finally got around to looking at this and offhand I say it is one of the grunts,from the mouth and placement of the dorsal probably a sweetlips, and since it has vertical striping and that distinctive yellow lip this one should be easy.

 

[guppy]

That actually took longer than I thought it would, Yellowmouth sweetlips (Plectorhinchus plagiodesmus)