33 replies to this topic

[sgietler]

Steve, great report. Congrats on the mandarin fish photos and the juvenile pinnate batfish. I loved the cuttlefish eye.

Do those photos include your ones from Bali also? can't wait to read the bali report!

Scott

[Steve Williams]

Steve, great report. Congrats on the mandarin fish photos and the juvenile pinnate batfish. I loved the cuttlefish eye.

Do those photos include your ones from Bali also? can't wait to read the bali report!

Scott

Thanks Scott,
Glad you like the images. I have a few more keepers of fish faces and nudis that I haven't worked through yet. We didn't get to dive out of Bali, the boat extended for an extra day which blew my planned Mola dives. We had a great time in Bali though, shopping, soaking in the culture and eating our way around Ubud. There is an important lesson that I learned that I didn't put in the report.

Never ever go anywhere in Bali without your camera.

Dimitri,
We dove the north side because of weather south so the water was very comfortable. We dove a few spots around Banta then Crystal Rock, Tatawa Besar, Batu Bolong, Pink Beach, Tengah, Siaba Kecil, Horeshow reef and Sabolo Kecil around Komodo before heading north east. With all the nice spots there 3 days is not enough.

Cheers,
Steve

[markprior]

Steve,

Great photos.

I just got back from Komodo and the weather has much improved. I went out on Komodo Dancer and the last trip was the first time for 3 that they had managed to get down south. It was a mixed blessing though because the water was 23 degrees and viz wasn't great off Rinca.

Mark

[Steve Williams]

I just got back from Komodo and the weather has much improved.

Looks like you had a great trip Mark. I can see from your photos that the vis wasn't great but it didn't stop you from getting some wonderful images. You have some really nice photos of things we didn't even see.

Cheers,
Steve

[MATT S]

Steve That was such a great report. look forward to reading chapter 2.

[EXTREME]

Hey Steve it is little bit hard to explain how look your report...fantastic or more than fantastic!
P.S.Wonderful pictures!

[Cary Dean]

Steve,

Awesome!

Check your battery cap for a small hairline crack on the side. Had the same problem
and S&S eventually came through.

Cary

[Steve Williams]

Check your battery cap for a small hairline crack on the side. Had the same problem
and S&S eventually came through.

Cary

Thanks partner, that's what it was. I really appreciate the heads up. I would have blown through a bunch of o-rings trying to find it.

Matt and Predrag, thanks for the kind words! Predrag, loved your images on the trip with Alex, just brilliant once again.

Cheers,
Steve

[p1554]

Nice trip report.

I always thought that the larger Mandarin fish was the male and the females sequentially mated with the male. I have photos from the Philippines showing the smaller Mandarin fish bulging with eggs and the eggs coming out of the smaller Mandarin fish as the pair rose in the water. Where did you get the information that the smaller ones are the males?

[Steve Williams]

Nice trip report.

I always thought that the larger Mandarin fish was the male and the females sequentially mated with the male. I have photos from the Philippines showing the smaller Mandarin fish bulging with eggs and the eggs coming out of the smaller Mandarin fish as the pair rose in the water. Where did you get the information that the smaller ones are the males?

I could be wrong, my limited info came from conversations with the guides on the boat. A short internet search found a couple of references that the males as the larger fish.

I'd love to know the correct answer,

Cheers,
Steve

[Deep6]

I could be wrong, my limited info came from conversations with the guides on the boat. A short internet search found a couple of references that the males as the larger fish.

I'd love to know the correct answer,

Cheers,
Steve

I found sereval references that said the male is the larger of the species. I also found studies where male smaller than large females mated. I general, the larger the male the larger amout of sperm. They are likely larger than the female(s) they mate with, but not always,

The male has a elongate fist dorsal fin which the female does not.

Oh, I guess size does matter.
Bob

Edited by Deep6, 07 November 2010 - 07:15 PM.

[bmyates]

I found sereval references that said the male is the larger of the species. I also found studies where male smaller than large females mated. I general, the larger the male the larger amout of sperm. They are likely larger than the female(s) they mate with, but not always,

The male has a elongate fist dorsal fin which the female does not.

I always heard that the bigger ones were females, too, but then I got this shot, which looks pretty clearly like the eggs are coming from the smaller fish. Can't see the big fish's dorsal fin, but it sounds like that might be a better indicator than size...

Edited by bmyates, 08 November 2010 - 08:16 AM.

[sasdasdaf]

Thanks for the wonderfully detailed report and pictures. It was a fascinating read. Your pictures are great too. I especially like the reef squid night shot, mating mandarinfish, and breakdancing crab. I look forward to reading the rest of the story.

[blueline]

I could be wrong, my limited info came from conversations with the guides on the boat. A short internet search found a couple of references that the males as the larger fish.

I'd love to know the correct answer,

Cheers,
Steve

Steve,

Definitely the large one is the male(they have a longer dorsal fin than the smaller females too). I kept a couple in a reef system for a few years until I had to take down the tank. They are beautiful fish! Their only defense is a slimy substance they excrete which is poisonous to bigger predators/fish. They have no scales and they strictly feed on copepods too.

Edited by blueline, 12 November 2010 - 01:28 PM.