Fish ID from the Maldives

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#1
My inlaws just returned from a 2 week live aboard in the Maldives, 3 deep water dives per day. The took these pictures of a Box Fish, and were having a difficult time finding it's name. If I had to venture a guess it's maybe a juvenile yellow spotted box fish that is transitioning?

These 2 are their pictures of fish in question:

View attachment 16303

View attachment 16302

And this is a pic from the web of what I think the full adult might look like (Ostracion Cubicus):
View attachment 16301

What do you guys think? I know we have some expert fish ID'ers out there!
 

jda123

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#2
Bottom one is likely a male Ostracion Meleagris - or white spotted boxfish. Females are different. I am no expert, though.

Their patters can be so aberrant and also change from juvi to adult that you might never find out. :(
 

scchase

Administrator
Staff member
M.A.S.C Club Member
M.A.S.C. B.O.D.
B.O.D. Member-at-Large
#5
Same genus different species top fish is a female adult Ostracion cubicus bottom is a male
Ostracion meleagris
 

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#6
Thank you @jda123 @MuralReef @scchase , I'll let the in-laws know.

They sent me a pic of a powder blue tang and said it was like 12 inches long. I said it looks just like mine....so unless they start having the fish pose next to a beer can I can't trust their size estimates. lol. They do not think I am amusing.
 

scchase

Administrator
Staff member
M.A.S.C Club Member
M.A.S.C. B.O.D.
B.O.D. Member-at-Large
#7
Masks make all the fish look bigger though Powder Blues to get to 9" so not too far off with the mask magnification
 
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