Welcome Bluespotted Cornetfish to the Caribbean

[tarponchik]

I've seen reports of BSCF in Florida waters and found some anecdotal evidence from Cozumel divers dating back to 2013, but it is the 1st time I saw it outside the Indo-Pacific myself. Here it is, in 25 ft, at Plaia Grandi, Curacao.

It will probably do fine here. With larger predators wiped out by overfishing (we saw Barracuda only 6 times in 28 dives here, and the grouper family is reduced to banana-size coneys, hinds, etc.), mid-sized predators, like Sand-divers, Scorpionfish, Trumpetfish, and small Jacks are flourishing. There is certainly room for another one.

 

[scubadada]

BSCF are very commonly seen in Boynton Beach, FL. Beautiful fish, I love to watch them.

 

[agilis]

They are surprisingly common in NJ bays and inlets in late summer. Drawing a seine net through an eel grass bed will sometimes produce three or four. Gulf Stream strays, here in NJ they average between 10 and 20 inches. I've also seen them in Jamaica, much larger, in very shallow water patrolling the beach for prey. A lovely fish.

 

[tarponchik]

BSCF are very commonly seen in Boynton Beach, FL. Beautiful fish, I love to watch them.

This Summer, I've only dived on the Gulf side, and haven't seen any. Haven't seen them on the Atlantic side in previous years.

 

[tarponchik]

They are surprisingly common in NJ bays and inlets in late summer. Drawing a seine net through an eel grass bed will sometimes produce three or four. Gulf Stream strays, here in NJ they average between 10 and 20 inches. I've also seen them in Jamaica, much larger, in very shallow water patrolling the beach for prey. A lovely fish.

Interesting...I love these guys too.

 

[agilis]

Interesting...I love these guys too.

I think these are basically a shallow water fish, usually found in small schools around weed beds and in shallow water where schooling small fish are numerous. They can move quickly and become nearly invisible against a sandy bottom. I've kept very small specimens for a short time in an aquarium where they will only eat live swimming prey.

 

[scubadada]

Many of the BSCF in Boynton Beach are quite long, much longer than most Trumpetfish. They are extremely sleek and can move like lightning when striking. Most amazing to see.

 

[agilis]

Many of the BSCF in Boynton Beach are quite long, much longer than most Trumpetfish. They are extremely sleek and can move like lightning when striking. Most amazing to see.

I saw a school of perhaps a half dozen BSCF in Negril, Jamaica with each fish well over 3 feet long. They are, of course, much slimmer than Trumpetfish and do not position themselves at an angle. Even here in NJ I've caught a few with a body that approached 2 feet long by late September. NJ's huge schools of Spearing provide limitless food until the cold water of Oct/Nov kills all the tropical strays.

 

[Kharon]

See one at the fuel pier on Bonaire almost every time I dive that site.

 

[Hoyden]

I think that you might be confusing two different species - Fistularia commersonii is the commonly seen species in the Indo-pacific and Fistularia tabacaria is commonly seen on our Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean. Both are Cornetfish with blue spots...what you saw is not new to the Caribbean and is a native species.