HELP ID THIS FISH!!!

[divergirl07]

I cannot figure out the red fish on the top .... My guesses are vermilion or yellow eye- neither seems plausible ........

Also I realize its not a good picture- thats why I have overlooked it for so long

[nwscubamom]

I'm thinking this is a Brown Rockfish...

[divergirl07]

Why do you say that Janna ??

[Biodiversity_Guy]

More details about the photo please. Where was it taken? A good starting place for ID work is to go the REEF website and look up the dive site you are at. It will list the fish and invert species others have seen there in the past, sorted by relative abundance. That can help give one a feeling for the more likely suspects to rule out.

It feels like a brown to me also. They are likely to sulk in amongst crevices and rocks like this. The vermilion and yellowtails I have encountered have been more out in the open.

Brown rockfish are one of the more common rockfish in south puget sound and hood canal.

As my wildlife instructor said: If you hear hoof beats, don't think zebra--unless you are on the plains of the Serengetti

[nwscubamom]

Why do you say that Janna ??

Well, first off, it's hanging out in 'Brown' territory - same habitat that you'll see all the Buffaloes. Secondly, the fins match up. (bit of a rounded anal fin - right shape). The shape of the anal fin is a good thing to look for in Rockfish when you're confused.

It doesn't look like a Vermilion or a Yellowtail in shape or habitat - and the chances of you seeing a Yellowtail where Buffalo sculpin hang is slim. Vermilions are more mottled, a deeper red, and look different body shape-wise.

The color appears to be a reddish-brown, (and sometimes the color balance, murk in the water, flash, etc can combine to make things appear to be a color that they're not). Every once in awhile I'll see a Brown that's quite dark and more reddish, like this:

Brown Rockfish

So, that's my reasoning. Oh, and I second what David said about wanting more details. Day/night - location - depth - size?

Hope that helps!

- Janna :-)