Malta fish ID please

[MikeTickle]

Two marine creatures I can't ID. The first - is it an elaborate hermit crab...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mike_tickle/2814607019/

And I've no idea what this black fish is...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mike_tickle/2814039929/

Cheers

Mike

[PeteM]

Two marine creatures I can't ID. The first - is it an elaborate hermit crab...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mike_tickle/2814607019/

Hermit crab carrying an anemone, reasonably common for disguise and protection

[Tristan Green]

And the second one - the fish - looks like a grouper to me.

Cheers,
Tristan

[MikeTickle]

Cheers for the help.

[Hamish]

Mick,

Don't know about it being a grouper? but I got it on video during one of my dives on the P29.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZxDYW8hjNc&feature=user

You have to go 3.18 minutes into the video to see it. I asked the other divers what they thought it was and none of them had any idea. I also showed it to my friends at Diveshack and they had not seen it before?

I go to Malta each year, 2 or 3 times a year for the last 14, yes sad I know but I like it there and this is the first time I have seen this particular fish. The first time was on the way back from the Rozi and as I passed the anchor on the way back I saw it attacking a small flatfish which was hiding in the sand, or trying to should I say. The second time was on the P29 which as you know is quite close to the Rozi.

I am off to Malta week this Saturday so will see if it's still around and if so will get a longer shot of it so someone can take a good look.

regards

Hamish

[Tristan Green]

Looks like the same fish and it still looks like a grouper to me - the fins and mouth shape are typical. I don't know which particular species it is and it may well be a juvenile, so it's colouring may not be very helpful in identifying it.

Cheers,
Tristan

[Edit]
Possibly a juvenile one of these: http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/PicturesSummary.php?StartRow=0&ID=6470&what=species&TotRec=16