What are your top ten favorite critters to find on a dive?

[justleesa]

and maybe a bit about why.
Mine would be, in no particular order:

1. Any kind of Octopus - Such smart and interesting animals...love, love, love octopi
2. Green Sea Turtle - Have a special connection to turtles, I even married a Turtleguy -
3. Hawaiian Lion Fish - dem buggahs, dey so hard to find you know....but when you do, they're everywhere!
4. White Tip Reef Shark - used to love hanging with them in the belly of the San Pedro
5. Frogfish - I'm on a mission looking for Frogfish
6. Nudibranch - every time I find one that I've never seen before...it's like Christmas it's very addicting!
7. Dolphins - Come on, who doesn't like dolphins?
8. Turkey Fish - Since we don't have them here, they are the closet thing to lionfish and they remind me of my first night dive in the red sea, THEY WERE EVERYWHERE!!!
9. Moorish Idol -I don't know, they just make me happy
10. Milletseed Butterflyfish - so special to get swarmed by them at the Mahi

I would be amiss not to mention Humpback Whales, but I haven't seen one underwater...yet I love hearing the Whale song and the feeling when it vibrates in my own chest...

So? What are your top 10?

 

[walrus2]

In Hawaii my favorites were turtles, cowries, pencil urchins, manta rays, pyramid butterflyfish, pipe fish, goatfish (fun on shallow sandy dives/near beaches), octopus, yellow tang (same reasons as your Moorish Idol, cheerful fish ), and the triggerfish.

 

[justleesa]

...

 

[snowdog]

I’m still looking for a mermaid.

 

[lsorenson]

Top ten... I can go top few...

1) Seahorses are my mission...!

I like trying to find them on my own so its like a little treasure hunt...! I don't care for a DM to point one out as it takes little effort by either party since the DM's mostly know where to look...!

2) French Angle; cause they are sexy...!

3)


Are Whales, Mantas, Dolphins, and Sharks considered Critters???

 

[scottitheduck]

1) Flying Gurnard
2) Spanish Dancer
3) Gold Coins/Jewled Chalice

 

[DiveMaven]

Can't disagree with any of the critters mentioned already, but I have to add Mantis Shrimp! I LOVE those guys!!

 

[lonebrave]

Haven't been diving enough to see a number of those already mentioned, but from what I have seen, in no particular order: honu, spotted eagle rays, giant porcupine fish, juvenile frog fish, and nudibranchs.

 

[scottitheduck]

Sorry.... point of clarification:

1) Gurnard. Because they have morphed their fins into wings and claws. Walking and Flying!!!! The Batmobile of fish.
2) Spanish Dancer. So cool to see a fat nudibranch that can fly.
3) Coins/Chalice..... because I like to party?

As an added bonus I have put a Tiger Shark in because after 4000+ dives in Hawaii I'm starting to wonder when, when lord, is it going to be my day?

 

[walrus2]

I have to agree flying gurnards are very cool. It was one of the first fish I saw in Hawaii, in 3 ft water in Hanauma bay. The volunteers in the bay immediately knew what fish we were talking about.