Our first Puffer!

[SkuaSeptember]

My 14 yo and I were diving Back Beach last Thursday and trying out her new camera when we came across this 1 inch Puffer that did not want to have it's picture taken. The Pipefish were very cooperative however!
The conditions were perfect, 64 deg. and we had the site all to ourselves. What a great dive!

 

[ScubaSarus]

Yes!!!

I saw one also at the Fort. Exactly like that.

Real nice find and my first one also besides a yellow-black spotted horned cowfish seen last year I thought was a puffer.

 

[charlesg3]

Awesome! I didn't know that puffers (or cowfish for that matter) existed around here. Is that due to the gulf stream curving north this time of year?

 

[ScubaSarus]

Actually, we have the small northern puffers here that are native; but yes this was a tropical puffer in from the Gulf Stream.

 

[SkuaSeptember]

I find it a challenge to pick out the distinguishing details on small juveniles so I really couldn't say if this was a misplaced tropical or a Northern. It looks a lot like the example in Andy Martinez's book. The only reason we spotted it was that it was behaving differently from the cunner it was hanging with.

 

[matt_unique]

I meant to reply to your email Andrew; great pictures!