Cozumel 2013 Day 6

This is our 5th day of diving and we dove on the Ana Luz again with DM Julio Kim. We told him that we would like to try and find Bat Fish, if possible. These are small and rare, but some had been seen this year on the Las Palmas Reef. We had never seen one and neither had Dean, the man from NJ we were diving with. So, it was off to find Bat Fish. First stop was Tuniche Reef where we saw a Scorpion Fish, some spotted Moray Eel, a Peacock Flounder, but no Bat Fish. After an hour plus surface interval (rest), it was back in the ocean on Las Palmas Reef. It wasn't long before our trusty dive master, Julio, found not one, but two Bat Fish. They are very difficult to see and blend in well with their surroundings because the cover their back sides with debris from the area. They are shaped much like a bat and when they swim they stay virtually on the bottom, much like a flounder. Their pectoral fins are used as legs to move slowly around and their lips are red. This was quite a treat for all o us. Also on this dive we saw a huge Red Crab lurking under a ledge waiting for dinner to pass by. We saw and photographed/videoed many reef fish and during our safety stop Julio and I spotted an outcropping of coral with a den of large Lobster nestled down under it. Along with the lobster were a couple of mature Jack Knife Fish (black and white) swimming around. I am going to post a video that Reva took of them and watch for the Lobster to swat one of the fish with its antenna. Very cool, Reva.

 

 

Peacock Flounder

Movie of Jack Knife Fish & Lobster

 

Barracuda

 

Jack Knife Fish (Adult)

 

Scorpion Fish

 

One Eyed Butterfly Fish

 

Bat Fish (notice eyes and lips)

 

Blue Sturgeon