This guy is strange

[MaxBottomtime]

I've seen this same fish on a few dives now at Marineland in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, but can never coax him out of his burrow. He has barbels on either side of his upper lip and yellow cat-like eyes. His head is about 1 1/2 inches wide. I'll try to get a better picture today. Anyone have an idea what it is?

 

[AdTravels]

Hey MBT,

Although this was taken in the pacific and I dive in the carribean it does look similar to the snake eel family. Theses guys bury themselves in the sand with eyes and snout exposed to ambush their prey.

hope it helps

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[isurus]

Iagree it does look snake-eel like so perhaps:
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2658
or
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2657

 

[sarahrebecca]

Definitely a snake eel but can't tell the species w/o seeing external markings on his body. Gonna have to do a night dive to see the whole critter Good luck!

Sarah

 

[H2Andy]

wow, neat fish

(no clue what it is)

 

[jiveturkey]

Cool. How big is it?

 

[MarkUK]

Yes, everyone is right, it is a snake eel. There are more species of snake eel in the Indo-Pacific than in the Caribbean, so until you get to see more of the slippery critter, it is going to be difficult pinning down the exact species. Good luck!

Mark