Fish species. .

[BLUESEASONBALI]

One of the most rewarding things i ever did was some conservation work in Indonesia where we had to learn over 80 different Latin Species of Fish, 60 Coral forms and 50+ Invertebrates. Working now as an instructor in Bali and having this knowledge has really benefited me into giving the quality course that i want to be able to offer.

Diving Bali | Dive Courses Bali

 

[Doc]

So what you acctually saying Roatanman, that alot of poeple out there
are just diving so that they can brag and say that they can dive? ? If
that is the reason will they not be leathal dive buddies? ?

Maybe not.

Maybe, if your dive buddy is so enmeshed in thinking through the dive plan itself, so concentrating on following that profile- he might be quite a good addition... in a larger "team" of divers.

The guy that's staring at his gauges might be unaware of un-planned circumstances arising such as changing conditions or your distress, so in that regard, he could be a liability as a buddy-pair diver.

But more to the point of the OP. Many new divers couldn't see a yellow school bus parked atop a 15' deep coral head, even if the 4-way flashers are blinking. It takes time to relax, to let the eyes see past your SPG and all of that expensive whizbang electronic computer strapped to your wrist.

In my experience, women (once peeled away from their well intentioned male partners), experience a dramatic upward learning curve in terms of underwater critter spotting. Their male counterparts are often debriefing their buddies and laptops in a post dive scenario. The ladies quickly find out what the Paul Humann book is all about.

This is not to say that males are any less adept at critter spotting, it's just more likely they will immerse themselves in the technical dweebery or wreck penetration versus what I call "Underwater Bird Watching".

This critter fixation is also known as W.W.P.F (Wowowpoof), aka: warm water/pretty fish syndrome.

Whatever floats your boat.

 

[captain]

I know the species that are eatable and legal to spear.

 

[octopuppy]

Well as an avid bird watcher for years I still have a problem ID'n LBJs (Little Brown Jobbers) but when it comes to bugs I can call out a Microstigma Rotundatum or Megaloprepus Coerulatus at 50 yards in a jungle whilst a rare Ant Pita flushes from the bushes (and I miss it). Whether you bother to ID or not enjoy it all - that's all that matters.

But AM looking forward to next years to trip to Fiji on the NAI'A with Paul Humann on board. Guess I'd better brush up.

 

[Karel26]

But how do you tell your dive buddies the the different fish you
have been seeing on the dive octopuppy? ? Do you just say the
small round blue fish with the black eye and the yellow linings
on the fins or don't you comunicate afterwards?

Live to dive and Dive to live. . . . :burnout:

 

[drrich2]

Take a picture & show them.

Richard.

 

[terrylowe]

My family takes pictures and afterwards my sons and I try to identify the fish by common name using our Human/Deloach book. It's nice to have a "word" for that blue tang rather than "that blue kinda oval fish with the yellow thin spot near its tail". We don't get into the genus and species thing. Don't want to turn it into work for the kids. My problem is that I can't seem to remember the names. It's like meeting a new person at church and after introductions, forgetting their name in 7 seconds. Guess that means I need to dive more....repetition, repetition, repetition...

 

[Sas]

How many of your local fish, coral mamil ect species do you know? ?

Most of them I take photos of them and then ID them on my flickr page. Ones I can't identify I often will send to experts or post about on forums to find out what they are.

But to each their own. I would not expect others to take the same level of interest as me...

 

[octopuppy]

Karel:

I video and ID later. But I'll bet I miss many critters and interaction because of it. I can usually get the family but enjoy discussing with fellow divers and helping out newbies that ask: What's

the
small round blue fish with the black eye and the yellow linings
on the fins?

They'll know their grunts from their gunnards soon enough - if that floats their boat.

Have you checked out this on the board? Name that Critter - ScubaBoard

 

[Ana]

But how do you tell your dive buddies the the different fish you
have been seeing on the dive octopuppy? ? Do you just say the
small round blue fish with the black eye and the yellow linings
on the fins or don't you comunicate afterwards?

Live to dive and Dive to live. . . . :burnout:

Take a picture & show them.

Richard.

Or bring it up in the stringer and not only show them but let them drool with envy... or share if you have to.

For the creatures that don't belong in the stringer (or bag) then you see them, you thank your lucky stars for your fortune and go on to the next dive.

There is so much more to a dive than names of fish. When you cross paths with a huge creature for the first time, it may be too much to not share the news, but the personal pleasure of a baby nudybranch doesn't need advertising, doesn't matter if you know the species or if you just think is a funny lucky "thing".

For the longest time I knew turtle and fish... didn't care to know more, almost didn't want to know... then Walter poisoned my mind. Fortunatly I got over it... now I'm back to only look for a 1 or 2 I like very much, and the rest is just dive for the sake of diving... always ready to assist any creature that wants to commit suicide, but other than that just be one with the water.