Weird, wacky, and wild!

[scottfiji]

Ok, I stole that line from the Long Beach Aquarium, but that is the best way to descibe these three species! All found by Claudette and I in the redondo canyon late last night...It never ceases to amaze me!!

Plainfin Midshipman, smiling at us!

Catalina Conger Eel, in its hole

Hemphill's Kelp Crab (yes, the entire picture is the crab)

 

[lwronk]

Great but strange pictures. Thank you for sharing

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Great set of pix, Scott!! Man...that was a cool dive!!! So glad I get to relive it in your photos as well as my memories.

 

[scottfiji]

thanks alot! By the way, I just pulled a Catalina Conger eel out of a jar of Alcohol, and its head did not look like the second picture, so if anyone has any guesses, let me know! (the fish was looking up from a hole in the sand in the redondo canyon, 70-80ft depth)

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Looks like a Rockpool Bleeny, Hypsoblennius gilberti.
(page 115 in Paul Humann's Coastal Fish Identification)