ID Requested for Rockpool fish please.

[Yashca]

I caught this fish in a rockpool at Scarborough in July 2009.




I'm not completely sure what it is. I thought that it might be a pollack, but the pictures of juvenile pollack Pollachius pollachius I've seen look quite patterned with brown and orange, whereas this one is a uniform yellow/green fading to silver.

Does anyone know what this is?

(It might not be obvious in the picture, but it has a single barbel-type thing under its chin)

Thank you!

[Ukwildlifeo]

It certainly looks like a little pollack to me, so if its not that its something closely related surely. My fish book doesnt show juveniles so hopefully someone with more knowledge than me will be along soon. Glad to see someone having more luck with rockpools than me!

[diggleken]

Certainly not blenny/goby etc, more cod family, looks very like a Pollack, with 3 dorsal, 2 anal fins and barbel/barbule, but apparently that other Pollack family fish, Coalfish/Saithe has a tiny barbule when juvenile, so might be that too..............
We need an expert rocker!
Cheers
Ken

[Force Eleven]

Hi, thanks for the replies. We've done some research on the t'interweb ourselves and now think because of the chin barbel and what this website says (Pollack and Saithe - DIVE Marine Life)

we now think it is a saithe Pollachius virens

However we hope some more experts on WAB can confirm this ID.

Thanks ppl

[tom00_uk]

its a pollack a close relation to saith/cod etc,

wrong shape for whiting

saith/coal fish spawn at depths over 100m and tend to spend their whole life in deep water,

[Force Eleven]

This websites info begs to differ:

http://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife...sp?item=ZG2090

However it claims both pollack and saithe have no chin barbel. Ours does if you look closely.

That could be a simple mistake by the website. We are still siding with saithe but remain unconvinced to be honest.

However we shall keep up the research to get to the bottom of this

[Wild-Woman]

Just a question. Is it normal to find these in rock pools? Sort of thought pollack were deep sea fish... but then I know nothing about them.

[diggleken]

Coalfish/Saithe are often found in rockpools when junior.
They also have a tiny barbel when junior, so Coalfish is quite an acceptable ID I think.
Cheers
Ken

[brilee]

Its Def a Coalfish,as well as the tiny chin barbel,also another distinguishing feature is top and bottom lips are equal lenght on coalfish,on Pollack lower lip protrudes further out then the top,hope this is of some use,all the best Brilee.

[Force Eleven]

Thanks everyone, your inputs have been of great value. Coalfish/saithe it is!