Unidentified pipefish ... help?

Posted January 14th, 2008 by smsphoto

Images:

This pipefish was photographed at Blue Heron in West Palm Beach in about 3FSW. It was approximately 5-6" long.

I have looked through all of my books, contacted my friends who are fish ID pros and done an exhaustive online search, but can't seem to find a similar fish.

I have seen shortfin pipefish at this location before. Could this be a shortfin pipefish displaying a different color pattern?

Please respond here and via email if you can (wpbdiver@gmail.com). Thanks for your help.

Steve

I think it is a shortfin

Submitted by trasea on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 14:34.

I think it is a shortfin pipefish. You often see them that dark in Cozumel.

Pipefish ID ...

Submitted by smsphoto on Wed, 01/23/2008 - 22:56.

Thank you. I just received a new ID book in the mail today that has a detailed section on pipefishes and I came to the same conclusion.

Just goes to show that you can't rely on only one ID guide.