Balloonfish or Burrfish?

[Jamdiver]

Hey all,

This fish has been the subject of a bit of confusion and debate from me.
I've it had it identified alternately as a Balloonfish or Burrfish...

Any thoughts as to what it actually is??

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rick Murchison]

That's a baloonfish. Didon holacanthus
It is also a burrfish, or a porcupine fish, or a pufferfish, depending on where you are.
That's the problem with common names... they have a regional component, and even some variance within a single region.
When I was a kid the kids from Palmetto Creek had lots of wrong names for fish that we more enlightened kids from Soldier Creek knew. (Those two creeks are less than a mile apart)
Rick

 

[HowardE]

It's a baloonfish.

A Burrfish looks more like a porcupine fish with smaller spots, and less "burrs" don't ask me why.

I found a picture of a burrfish - disclaimer - it's not my picture

 

[wreckchick]

I know it as a porcupine fish. I love them, they have the cutest looks on their faces with those big eyes!

Rachel

 

[HowardE]

Porcupine fish has small spots, and you can't see the "burrs" generally

Again - Not my photo

 

[Jamdiver]

Thanks for that guys , especially for the scientific name Rick, that should put an end to the confusion !

Ok last one I promise....

Now this looks to me like a Black coral sea fan, but i've been told that it's not.
I can't think of anything else that looks like this..., not even a wide mesh sea fan??

Taken at a depth of 70ft...

 

[WilDive4Food]

Best I can find is, it's a balloon fish. Looking at the spines, that are laid back in your photo, I found this piece of info that would, IMO put burrfish out of question.

"Burrfish are covered with short, heavy spines that are always erect—unlike their cousins the porcupinefish, which have movable spines.

Hope this helps, as I am nowhere close to being wise on fish anatomy.

...Jeff

 

[HowardE]

Deepwater Sea Fan maybe (iciligorgia schrammi) (since you like the scientific names )

 

[Jamdiver]

Deepwater Sea Fan maybe (iciligorgia schrammi) (since you like the scientific names )

Bingo......... yup it does look like that.
Thanks .

 

[Rick Murchison]

Porcupine fish has small spots, and you can't see the "burrs" generally

All these fish are alternately called burrfish, baloonfish, porcupinefish, pufferfish... howarde is giving us the "official" (at least from the Humann/Caribbean perspective, who I think we all recognize as the best authority for us Scuba folk) common names, but don't be surprised to hear locals refer to any of 'em as any one of those common names... and don't argue If it's a pufferfish in Soldier Creek, and you're visiting Soldier Creek, it's a pufferfish. (and in Soldier Creek both the baloonfish and the porcupinefish are indeed "spiny pufferfish," along with the "official" pufferfish.)
Rick