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bizarre fish

Started by Guest_FishyJackson_* , Sep 07 2014 11:22 AM

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13 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_FishyJackson_*

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Posted 07 September 2014 - 11:22 AM

Unfortuantely I have no picture of this fish, only a mental image that is gradually fading, but I will absolutely recognize it.

I was at a marina on the south shore of long island today when the most bizarre fish I've ever seen swam by. He circled around a bit,but I lost sight of it when I went to get the camera and I never saw it again.

Basically, it looked like an angelfish and a jellyfish in one. When I first saw it I thought it was some kind of small tropical stray fish with a jelly fish behind it but then I realized it was one fish. I think the head/body was whitish with possibly blackstripes or blotches and like 5 inches, but the jellyfish-like part made the creature about 2 feet long. It was see-through but colorful. This was definately not a local species

Can anyone take a stab at this? I will recognize it if I see it

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#2 Guest_Elassoman_*

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Posted 07 September 2014 - 11:48 AM

http://www.advanceda...006/6/aafeature

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#3 Guest_FishyJackson_*

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Posted 07 September 2014 - 12:01 PM

Wasnt a lionfish. Not getting any footage is going to haunt me haha. This thing literally had the body of a jellyfish and the head of a normal fish

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#4 Guest_FishyJackson_*

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Posted 07 September 2014 - 12:02 PM

I actually thought it was like an Oarfish or something related to it, was that bizarre

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#5 Guest_Elassoman_*

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Posted 07 September 2014 - 12:30 PM

Interesting. Thought I nailed it. When you say "jellyfish-like part", which part are you referring to?

http://www.animalcor...sh_anatomy.html

Jellyfish are quite diverse in form, but this diagram is a decent generalization. My guess is that you saw fin extensions that moved similarly to tentcles. Could you distinguish the fins of the fish (pectoral, dorsal, etc.)? If so, which fins were the longest?

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#6 Michael Wolfe

Board of Directors

North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 07 September 2014 - 12:34 PM

what about something like a sea robin? google that for some other similar pictures

Posted Image

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

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#7 Guest_trygon_*

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Posted 07 September 2014 - 02:09 PM

While you're on Google check out juvinile lookdowns,Selene vomer. They have long, flowing dorsal, pelvic and anal fins.

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#8 Guest_Elassoman_*

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Posted 07 September 2014 - 02:21 PM

Good call, trygon
https://m.flickr.com...sea/6338681632/

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#9 Guest_FishyJackson_*

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Posted 07 September 2014 - 03:37 PM

juvenile lookdown is great guess, that must've been it! I know juvenile lookdowns get swept up here by the gulf stream so it would make sense. I think that's it, definately had the long flowing fins. I just remember thinking the long fins were like jellyfish tentacles.

Thanks for the ID guys. I was afraid I blew a chance to get footage of an oarfish type of species

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#10 Guest_mzokan_*

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Posted 08 September 2014 - 02:03 PM

Also, try juvenile African pompano

https://farm6.static..._aac098fb2e.jpg
http://www.thejump.n...can-pompano.jpg

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#11 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 09 September 2014 - 11:26 AM

There are several species that hang under jellyfish tentacles avoiding stings somehow. Can't recall all the species, harvest fish perhaps? Sorry, no time to google.

On a related note, those species are apparently particularly tasty to false albacore and I have seen albies zipping at high speed and making passes at the undersides of jellyfish. Wasn't until I witnessed a couple fish bolt the jelly and dive for the bottom at the approach of albies that I realized what they were doing. An Old Timer assured me those silver fish were albie favorites and I have since seen it a few times..

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#12 Guest_FishyJackson_*

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Posted 09 September 2014 - 03:18 PM

mikez- interesting stuff there

Mzokan- You nailed it. Juvenile African pompano is 100% what I saw, I clearly remember the black stripes, definitely a juvie African pomp.

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#13 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 10 September 2014 - 03:02 PM

Here's another "mystery fish" with long "tentacles" photographed near Cape Hatteras a few days ago. One of the NC Marine Fisheries guys sent it around for ID. Turns out it's a juvenile scalloped ribbonfish, Zu cristatus. Adults look totally different - mostly silver, no black, with a narrow pointy tail.

Attached Files

Zu cristatus Scalloped ribbonfish.Hatteras.img2899.JPG 332.58KB 2 downloads

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#14 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 11 September 2014 - 08:17 AM

I saw one of those pompano drift by me in the current while I was standing on a bridge over a breachway between ocean and salt pond. If I'd had my nets in my hand I would have jumped off the bridge to chase it.