Coolest creatures you've seen?

[highdesert]

Pygmy seahorses (10mm adult), gypsy sea moths (what a pathetic little creature, wandering around the sand bottom like it has lost its way in the desert), giant morays (I'm talking 3m long with a stunning marbled coloration), and the winner, the disco clam (file clam), all at Wakatobi. A clam flashing blue neon lights is just about more than I can handle and still know that I am sober and not doing hallucinogens (not that I would know what that is really like).

 

[fishdelasol]

Turtles, cuttlefish, and a spotted eagle ray and an octopus have been my favorites...so far. The cuttlefish were amazing because it looked like it was a family of them. One was bigger compared to the rest, so I figured it was a momma and her babies.

I would really like to see a whale and a hammerhead shark!

 

[highlandfarmwv]

Sand tiger sharks and lionfish at Cape Hatteras, NC
Blue-green octopus and orange seahorse at night in Bonaire
Eagle ray,basket star, and huge green moray in Aruba
oh, I just love them all!

 

[shark girl]

The disco clam sounds fun! I had no idea clams could do that...

 

[highdesert]

The disco clam sounds fun! I had no idea clams could do that...

A definite first for me. This guy was about 8" across, tucked up in a coral crevice. Not going anywhere. The DM said in his briefing before the dive (the subject clam was a fixture on this dive site) that we could look at it all we want, but he had never seen the arcs of blue light show up on any photo, so don't bother trying. If anyone knows of a photo, or better, a video, that shows this phenomenon, I'd love to see it!

BTW, everyone did see the blue arcs, so I'm assuming I'm not delusional.

Oops - I shoulda looked online first ... here's a video, though the amount of light around the clam deadens the effect of the blue flashing light when seen in a darker environment.

file clam - Google Video

 

[PlayaCountryBoy]

The disco clam sounds fun! I had no idea clams could do that...

Yeah that does sound fun! I was based in Bali and making diving safari trips out through the Eastern Indonesian islands, including Komodo Nationa,l Marine Park, and I never saw these disco clams...mola-mola, blue ringed octopus, pygmy seahorses, frogfish...but never a disco clam.D Oh yeah, stargazers are funny lookin' fish too! those are out there in the Indo-Pacifc-Coral Sea area.

 

[highdesert]

OK, before I get accused by someone of being a total idiot, I guess I should say it's more properly called a "red flame scallop". Google videos for that name, and you get two examples. Still, neither video does justice to the real thing.


... or "electric flame scallop" ...

 

[PlayaCountryBoy]

...before I get accused by someone of being a total idiot, I guess I should say it's more properly called a "red flame scallop".... or "electric flame scallop" ...

Couldn't help but laugh. Although I would never call someone an idiot for mistaking the name of an animal.... there are those who would. Personally I liked the disco clam version!

 

[paradicio]

Sea Lions!

And this crazy JellyFish-esque thing...

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

That jellyfish-esque thing is a salp chain ... it's actually a colony of critters.

Sea lions are definitely cool ... got buzzed by a young male up here last week.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)