Help me ID these fish, seen on Bari Reef, Bonaire!

[NY Knight]

I took these photos the first week in June at Bari Reef, Bonaire, at about 60 feet. The last two photos are of the same fish; the first one is a different fish, but is it the same species? They look like some kind of grouper, but WHAT kind? Can't find anything that matches them in my Humann/Deloach. Are they speckled hinds? Do they HAVE speckled hinds in Bonaire? And if they do, what's up with Humann/Deloach not including 'em in their book??

 

[drrich2]

I believe you've photographed Coneys. They are neat little fish. I'm guessing they were a bit under a foot long?

Richard.

 

[Lucas Cordina]

Richard is probably right,
but it could also be a white-speckled grouper Epinephelus Ongus, they apparently inhabit Bonaire as well

Still, as I said, Richard is probably right, especially considering how symmetrical the speckles on them are

 

[NY Knight]

Hmmm! Looks like you might be right, Richard -- I just checked Reefguide.org/carib, and Coney looks about right, especially the lighter fish. But do they really come as dark as that dark fish? That fish was more a reddish black than a red! And, yeah, I'd say he was about a foot in length, maybe a tad bigger even. Wish I could jump in right now and look for him.... *sigh...*

 

[deborahdelamar]

Coney has 2 black spots on its lower lip and 2 black dots top center at the base of the tail. Makes 'em easy to ID because you only need to see one end or the other. They can lighten and darken and change colors -- this is but one color phase; there's also a bicolor phase (brown or reddish brown on top & white on the bottom) and a gold (very bright yellow) phase. You can see one lip spot (the other's on the other side of the head) & tail-base dots in the first photo and will have to study the 2nd photo to see if they're there, which they probably are.

 

[herbdb]

Here is a photo I took on Bonaire of a Graysby, in the grouper family. Very similar, can't see the lips in the OPs shots to tell for sure. Sorry I can't post the pic directly, but I am not at home. The three dots below the dorsal fin make a positive ID, again can't be sure.

Graysby - Bonaire by Herbert Dubois

 

[NY Knight]

Nice pic, Herb! Yeah, the Graysbies were out in spades that day, too. Here's one that we saw:



I liked the spotted fish on the spotted coral. (Taking this pic, though, I almost missed the MANTA RAY flying by behind me. Fortunately, my buddy gave me an excited poke.)

Thanks for the taxonomy report, Deborah! I don't have my Humann/Deloach in front of me, but I'm guessing they don't have Coney pictures with all those color phases. But, I'm gonna cross Coney off tonight, for sure! Thanks everyone!