Identifying your catch

[clarias]

Hi Guys, if any of you need a fish identified, post a pic in this thread and i'll do my best to identify it. I am an Ichthyology student and we have the biggest library of fish literature in the southern hemisphere at our disposal right down the road.
What's more, i really enjoy helping people out with IDing fish- it helps me learn because i often have to research it first. I'll try add some interesting facts too.
Working off photo's is a challenge, but I love it!
If you get pics of any cool insects, i can try look those up too as i'm also studying entomology.
I should be able to ID the insects at least to family level, and i'll try find something interesting about them too.

Hope to see some pics soon!
Cheers
Carl

[rols]

Thanks for the offer. I hope we can keep you busy.

[FishWhisperer]

Calling Richy FishFingers: Boet please put those pics up up those kingies, really wanna know what's what and who's who. Shot.

[grcjos001]

Hi,

I caught a strange-looking fish that I have yet to identify. Don't have a photo, unfortunately.

It was about 12cm long, silver with a dark back, and very skinny (about 1.5cm wide and 1cm deep). It's scales came off on my hand on contact. It's mouth was also very thin, but very long and pointed. Big enough, in fact, to take a #4 salty bugger (mustad limeric hook). It had no teeth.

It was caught in Simonstown harbour, and was not alone... It was part of a shoal about 20 strong. They tend to be very agressive, chasing nothing smaller than a #6 clouser! They apeared to swim fairly freely in midwater, not particularly hanging around structure. I've often seen them, but only in summer.

I think it was some sort of juvenile gamefish, but I don't which one. It doesn't look like any adult I know of, so is likely to be one of those species that change with age. What's the proper term for that phenomenon?

Thanks for help. If you have any possible answers, just let me know and I'll google tham for photos to check.

tight lines,

Josh

[pieterkriel]

Hi,

I caught a strange-looking fish that I have yet to identify. Don't have a photo, unfortunately.

It was about 12cm long, silver with a dark back, and very skinny (about 1.5cm wide and 1cm deep). It's scales came off on my hand on contact. It's mouth was also very thin, but very long and pointed. Big enough, in fact, to take a #4 salty bugger (mustad limeric hook). It had no teeth.

It was caught in Simonstown harbour, and was not alone... It was part of a shoal about 20 strong. They tend to be very agressive, chasing nothing smaller than a #6 clouser! They apeared to swim fairly freely in midwater, not particularly hanging around structure. I've often seen them, but only in summer.

I think it was some sort of juvenile gamefish, but I don't which one. It doesn't look like any adult I know of, so is likely to be one of those species that change with age. What's the proper term for that phenomenon?

Thanks for help. If you have any possible answers, just let me know and I'll google tham for photos to check.

tight lines,

Josh

Good luck Carl on IDing this one, damn that sounds like just about a million possible fish in the ocean..

[Scythe]

Life would be boring without the occasional challenge

Clarias, I'm studying to be a barber, how about a little off the top ?

[NEptuNE]

Hi,

I caught a strange-looking fish that I have yet to identify. Don't have a photo, unfortunately.

It was about 12cm long, silver with a dark back, and very skinny (about 1.5cm wide and 1cm deep). It's scales came off on my hand on contact. It's mouth was also very thin, but very long and pointed. Big enough, in fact, to take a #4 salty bugger (mustad limeric hook). It had no teeth.

It was caught in Simonstown harbour, and was not alone... It was part of a shoal about 20 strong. They tend to be very agressive, chasing nothing smaller than a #6 clouser! They apeared to swim fairly freely in midwater, not particularly hanging around structure. I've often seen them, but only in summer.

I think it was some sort of juvenile gamefish, but I don't which one. It doesn't look like any adult I know of, so is likely to be one of those species that change with age. What's the proper term for that phenomenon?

Thanks for help. If you have any possible answers, just let me know and I'll google tham for photos to check.

tight lines,

Josh

Sounds like juvenile springer. Elops is the genus and I think the species is machinata . Adult springer lose their scales the same way when you handle them. They prefer warmer water which is why you see them in summer?

[clarias]

Elops machnata is correct. This link has a pic of a 12cm long specimen.

http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/guideb...h/text/209.htm

Is this what you caught?
Guys, would springer occur in the western cape, i doubt it.
Try get a photo of the fish you were referring to.