Help in Identifying this fish

[stolaas]

Hello all, here is a picture I told you all about at the meeting. I netted these in Panama City a few weeks ago and can't figure out if they are a Damsel or an Angel fish of some kind. I thought it was a Yellow Belly Damsel but with the bold markings on its dorsal fin and a more 50/50 of yellow/blue color I was thinking it might be some kind of Angel. And the fact that I think Yellow Bellies are native in Pacific/Indo oceans not Atlantic.

Any help would be great

 

[Sk8r]

Beautiful fish. The eye and body shape say damsel to me, at least.

 

[MaryBebo]

I'm thinking some type of Damsel too, but not sure.

I think it's neat that you caught it yourself. Not a lot of us say that For sure me..lol... Very nice fish!

 

[buzzbait00]

Curtis,
Where were you snorkeling at in PC.Did you use a guide service or off the beach?Im in Destin every year and have heard their are some man made structures around that are kewl.
Buzz!

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I believe that it is a damselfish. It looks like a juvenile form of Stegastes diencaeus from West Atlantic or Stegastes favilatus.

Tomoko

 

[Nitroq2]

I am with tomoko look about the 4th one down in this pic http://www.wetwebmedia.com/stegastes.htm

 

[Mariner]

Definitely a damsel. I believe I've seen one or two of the same kind of fish while snorkeling near the jetties in PC.
Mariner

 

[stolaas]

Thanks everyone for your imput. After seeing all your suggestions and the many different type of Damsels I have been able to identify it as the "Stegastes variabilis" Cocoa Damsel found on this page that Nitro shot at me - http://www.wetwebmedia.com/stegastes.htm All the damsel on this page look a lot alike but the one thing that stood out was the "distinct black ocellus after their dorsal fins" as quoted on the page above. Mine both have that second spot just before the Caudal fin.
To Buzz, I go to the Jetty at Saint Andrews State Park - nonguided. There are also Convict and Blue tangs down there as well.

 

[greenbean36191]

I go to the Jetty at Saint Andrews State Park - nonguided.

You should try doing it all day for a grade. It's torture.

 

[joejoe1055]

or it could be S. flavilatus they look very close to each other

 

[Tomoko Schum]

To id a fish correctly, you really need to count all the dorsal and anal spines, soft rays, shapes and locations of all the fins, and sometimes the shape and size of their scales, too. Colors are not good identifier of fish unfortunately.

Tomoko

 

[joejoe1055]

very true
age and stress can change colors