What kind of fish? I've taken to calling it the limo fish...

[jwelburn]

I got a picture of this fellow last weekend and keep getting asked what kind of fish this is. To me it looks like somebody took a normal fish by the snout and tail and just pulled it like silly putty. You will have to forgive the picture quality. Any help would be wonderful! Thanks!

(1) How big is the critter?
About 16-18"
(2) Where in the world is the critter?
Oahu, HI. Electric Beach.
(3) What sort of habitat (reef, wreck, sand, rubble etc) is the critter in?
Shallow sandy reef. About 300m from the outlets from a power plant (thus the name Electric Beach). So the water is even warmer than normal in the area.
(4) How deep is the critter?
20'
(5) What time of day (or night) did you see the critter?
Around 10:00am
(6) Any observed behavior of the critter...
Just slowly swimming.
(7) If the locals have a common name for the critter, what is it?
Unknown. Nobody I've shown the picture to has ever seen it.

 

[hellhole]

trumpet flutefish

it looks like u caught it just about to open its mouth...

 

[pjhansman]

Here's a Maui version from the old Mala pier

 

[knotical]

Pacific trumpetfish.
<AKA Chinese trumpetfish, trumpet flutefish in Australia., ...>

As with many fish, there are color and pattern variations.

If you have access to John P. Hoover&#8217;s book The Ultimate Guide to Hawaiian Reef Fishes, check out the photos on the top of page 323 and the bottom of 324. Quite similar to yours.
<Page numbers are from the third printing. Other versions might vary>

Binomial name: Aulostomus chinensis
Hawaiian name: n&#363;n&#363;

 

[scubahawk27]

I caught a trumpet fish with my hand while standing on the St. Anthony's! I was surprised as he was. Of course I let him go very quickly and did not harm him. It was very cool.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[jwelburn]

I don't have the book that you mentioned, but it sounds like something to get my hands on. Thank you!

 

[KeithG]

In the Caribbean they are commonly brilliant yellow or blue. They tend to hang vertically in gorgonias when at rest. They also hunt (as opportunist feeders) with coneys.

When hanging vertically they allow close approach. You can sometimes get them to associate with your arm if you hang it down towards them. I have often had them hang with the strobes of my camera rig when trying to get a picture of their eye. Very frustrating as they are out of the picture frame.