A plague of John Dory at Babbacombe...

[Mdemon]

Spent an hour underwater at Babbacombe this morning and saw more wildlife than ever before for some reason; cuttlefish, shoals of 3 inch silver things (technical term), small lobbies (a first there for me), gaff(?) fish and the reason I'm posting, about 10 John Dory, 5 times more than I've ever seen there before.

They were mainly yellow, greeny-yellow or white, but what caught my eye was the small creatures semi-attached below the dorsal fin. They were odd - a bit like a blob with two white "legs", a bit like a virus is supposed to look. About 5 - 7mm in length and transparent. There were a good dozen of them, attaching, detaching and moving around on this fish.

My question - what on Earth were they? Anyone know?

[Dr Stevil]

Originally Posted by Mdemon

Spent an hour underwater at Babbacombe this morning and saw more wildlife than ever before for some reason; cuttlefish, shoals of 3 inch silver things (technical term), small lobbies (a first there for me), gaff(?) fish and the reason I'm posting, about 10 John Dory, 5 times more than I've ever seen there before.

They were mainly yellow, greeny-yellow or white, but what caught my eye was the small creatures semi-attached below the dorsal fin. They were odd - a bit like a blob with two white "legs", a bit like a virus is supposed to look. About 5 - 7mm in length and transparent. There were a good dozen of them, attaching, detaching and moving around on this fish.

My question - what on Earth were they? Anyone know?

Probably some kind of parasitic copepod (a type of - usually - small crustacean, there are giant copepods too), it's relatively common for fish to have ectoparasites (and internal parasites too!)

see here for more info

[chrisch]

Sounds like sea-lice. Common enough but you are lucky to see them like that.

Chris

[Jeremy H]

Years ago I came across a huge shoal on the Hood in mid Winter. It was freezing cold and they were just drifting around. I've never come across a shoal before or since - occasionally the odd one on drifts etc so perhaps it's a rare event (unless all you YD'ers know differently?)

Wonder why it happens...

[Mdemon]

In a shoal? Spooked or mating?

Looked like the tiniest, see-through versions of those things Steve - very mobile too. Sea lice would sum them up, but don't know what they look like...

Yup, they were very close. I got to about 30 cms from that one. Bit of breath-holding worked wonders - I see what the RB guys get so excited about...
Digital camera needed!

Cheers all.

[Dr Stevil]

Yeah, sea-lice is a general term for anything small and "bitey", no doubt somewhere there is someone studying (or who has studied) "parasites associated with Zeus faber" will have a scout around the web

[Allan B]

Hi John after two dives and nearly five hours in the water I managed to photograph one of the allusive Babbcombe John Dory.

The pic is crap as the viz was only 2-3 mtr's and could not get close to it or his friend. They were acting very strange, instead of waiting to ambush their prey, they were up chasing sand eels and sprats along with the Pollack



And as I got out of the water I was greeted with this view



Allan

[Mdemon]

Fancy coming all that way and not giving me a bell? Git.

WTF is the 2nd one by the way?

By the way, breath-holding allowed me to get closest. Mind you, poking a great big camera in their faces won't help...



Ignored of Devon

[Tim Ingmire]

So John, you were on the South Coast right? And you saw...

Originally Posted by Mdemon

small creatures semi-attached below the dorsal fin. They were odd - a bit like a blob with two white "legs", a bit like a virus is supposed to look. About 5 - 7mm in length and transparent. There were a good dozen of them, attaching, detaching and moving around on this fish.

Hmm, going by that description on a subject that is in 'demand' by divers at that part of the world I know exactly what it was.....









I would identify the creatures as Tony Blair's Cabinet members!

[Allan B]

Sorry John was not ignoring you, it was last Sunday (Yes I know I do not dive on Sundays but she who must be obeyed told me to bugger off, so I did!)And you where away, and also on the Tuesday before that but you would have been in work.

Will be down to see you in a couple of weeks, as I’m doing my Adv Nitrox next weekend

Allan