Top 3 of 2013 ...

[BoltSnap]

Giant Starry puffer (Arothron stellatus)
OLY E-M5, 18mm, 1/320s, f/5.6,ISO:200, 2 X S&S Ys-D1 — at Dibba, Fujairah, UAE




Ostracion cyanurus - Bluetail trunkfish (Female)
OLY E-M5 in Nauticam Housing, 60mm OLY macro lens, 1/320s, f/14, ISO: 200, 2 X S&S YS-D1 (with dual-electronic sync cord) — at Dibba, Fujairah, UAE





Pixy Hawkfish — OLY E-M5, 60.0mm, 1/320s, f/10.0,ISO:200, 2 X S&S Ys-D1 — at Dibba, Fujairah, UAE



www.facebook.com/BurhanMuntasserPhoto

 

[TSandM]

I've never had a crinoid jump on me -- I think it would be cool!

 

[LowVizWiz]

They are so cool, but I have never been fortunate enough to have one jump at me either!

 

[TSandM]

In Indonesia, there were some that were the most amazing, rich, wine-red color . . . I wish I had my laptop so I could look for a shot of one!

 

[KeithG]

Seems like it would make sense to do a monthly top 3?
i will post a few more and violate the "3" rule...
Coral polyps | www.kengiffen.com
Spotted Moray | www.kengiffen.com

Banded coral shrimp | www.kengiffen.com

 

[xyrandomyx]

They come in all sorts of colors. I think they make great subjects.

View attachment 173405

I included one in my top three pics:



There are smaller crinoids of another species in the background in that pic (less pretty ones, in my opinion). I've never had any jump on me, I think I might be a little creeped out.

 

[asha]

Crinoids

Ha! It is a little creepy when they jump on you, especially because they stick on. They're host to all kinds of cool critters, though, which is what I really love about them.


Not sure what this one is... juvie lion fish, maybe?

 

[tracydr]

Giant Starry puffer (Arothron stellatus)
OLY E-M5, 18mm, 1/320s, f/5.6,ISO:200, 2 X S&S Ys-D1 — at Dibba, Fujairah, UAE
View attachment 173422



Ostracion cyanurus - Bluetail trunkfish (Female)
OLY E-M5 in Nauticam Housing, 60mm OLY macro lens, 1/320s, f/14, ISO: 200, 2 X S&S YS-D1 (with dual-electronic sync cord) — at Dibba, Fujairah, UAE
View attachment 173426




Pixy Hawkfish — OLY E-M5, 60.0mm, 1/320s, f/10.0,ISO:200, 2 X S&S Ys-D1 — at Dibba, Fujairah, UAE
View attachment 173427


www.facebook.com/BurhanMuntasserPhoto

Thanks for posting the giant puffer! I saw a few of those in Africa and didn't know exactly what they were. Of course, I knew they were a puffer but not the variety. I tried to search on Giant Puffer and didn't find much.

 

[BoltSnap]

Thanks for posting the giant puffer! I saw a few of those in Africa and didn't know exactly what they were. Of course, I knew they were a puffer but not the variety. I tried to search on Giant Puffer and didn't find much.

You are welcome!! They are funny looking, all head and very little body. Here is another picture of one being cleaned. I can identify 6 shrimp doing the cleaning.

 

[Tigerman]

What I dont like about the giant starry puffers is that when you find a REALLY big one, you don't have another diver available to put in the frame to show how truely massive the can get