Fun ways to identify fish

I bought a book on identifying Caribbean reef fish. I also bought a white slate with a pencil.

But I think it would be more fun to just have cards with pictures of fish on them. I've seen some in my local dive shop.

Is this the way to go to start identifying fish? If so, what do you use to mark the card with, a special kind of pencil? Is one card better than another? The ones in my dive shop are kind of limited (not too many fish on each card).

Matt Beckwith:

I bought a book on identifying Caribbean reef fish. I also bought a white slate with a pencil.

But I think it would be more fun to just have cards with pictures of fish on them. I've seen some in my local dive shop.

Is this the way to go to start identifying fish? If so, what do you use to mark the card with, a special kind of pencil? Is one card better than another? The ones in my dive shop are kind of limited (not too many fish on each card).

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Do you have an iPad? If so, there is an Audubon app that lists hundreds of species of Caribbean fish with a way to mark your life list, like birders have. If you want details, I'd be happy to provide them.

There are pocket versions of the reef field guides also, but they aren't very comprehensive. You might take a REEF field course on fish identification and counting. It's given in Key Largo periodically and is a great way to pass a surface interval.

Wookie:

Do you have an iPad? If so, there is an Audubon app that lists hundreds of species of Caribbean fish with a way to mark your life list, like birders have.

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I didn't realize the iPad worked underwater. :deal:

If you progress like most divers, you'll come up with this description that defies description. You'll try to describe it with your hands and tell me the colors and spots/stripes/bars/number of fins, etc. That's why the Reef course is so valuable, not so you learn fish, but so you learn how to describe them, with the difference between bars, stripes, different fins, and where the fins lie in relationship to other body parts (are they in front of the gills, below them, behind the anus, etc.). Then you will say that it was a black and white fish with bars in front of the pectoral fins and stripes after with a large dorsal fin, and I will identify it for you. Once that happens you will remember it forever.

Doctors are my favorite kinds of students. If they are awake (that's only a problem with the young guys) they understand how to learn. Once you know how to learn fish, you won't need anything underwater, you will memorize the fish long enough to find it in the reference books on the boat, whatever boat that is. I never recommend that newer divers have reference material with them while diving, nor a camera. It takes time and concentration to remember to look at that remaining air supple. Being distracted by a book/camera/whatever is not advised for your first few hundred dives. By that time, they'll have a case for your iPad. Yes, they do for your iPhone, and the app works on it, too. So there!

Wookie:

Then you will say that it was a black and white fish with bars in front of the pectoral fins and stripes after with a large dorsal fin, and I will identify it for you. Once that happens you will remember it forever.

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Yes, my reef fish identification book has a chapter on exactly this. And it has helped me to learn to notice those things. But I think I need a lot of practice to get into the habit. Perhaps an online course with quizzes, like the PADI online courses, would be good to develop this sort of skill.

I never recommend that newer divers have reference material with them while diving, nor a camera. It takes time and concentration to remember to look at that remaining air supple. Being distracted by a book/camera/whatever is not advised for your first few hundred dives.

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Yes, I've thought of that. I have so many tasks to accomplish on my upcoming dive trip:

• Use my new (and first) dive computer
• Try out my new prescription mask
• Calculate my SAC
• Calculate my turn-around pressure
• Calculate my rock-bottom pressure
• Use my new split fins with spring release
• Dive with a different buddy each day (since my wife won't be coming with me on this trip)

By that time, they'll have a case for your iPad. Yes, they do for your iPhone, and the app works on it, too. So there!

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No way! That's cool! Of course, 3G and Wi Fi reception's probably not too good down there.

REEF.org has webinars, quizzes and galleries for Caribbean and for Pacific Northwest fish. I have found going through the galleries and quizzes to be a great way to burn the IDs into my brain.

There's these: Fishcards.com Fishes and Invertebrates page

Franko's also sells others: http://frankosmaps.com/ - as well as dive site location maps.

They're small and printed on plastic so you can take it with you.

There is a pocket-sized water-proof version of the Caribbean Reef Fish book. It has a selection of those fish likely to be encountered.

TSandM:

REEF.org has webinars, quizzes and galleries for Caribbean and for Pacific Northwest fish. I have found going through the galleries and quizzes to be a great way to burn the IDs into my brain.

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Hey, this is cool! Thanks!

diversteve:

There's these: Fishcards.com Fishes and Invertebrates page

Franko's also sells others: Franko's Maps Fabulous Maps of Favorite Places - as well as dive site location maps.

They're small and printed on plastic so you can take it with you.

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I bought the Franko's cards for Cayman Islands, Florida and Cozumel. Each one has a map too. Excellent! Thanks!