What is this fish
- Thread starter smokie
- Start date
willywetegg
Administrator
I managed to zoom it in a bit and it just looks like a Granny fish I think Robbie. Pretty things are'nt they, the face that only a mother could love 
Jim.
Jim.
Ian Alexander
Well-known member
Hello,
Jim is right, it's correct name is a Short-spined Sea Scorpion or bullhead.
Local names for it are Grannyfish, Polliwog and Father lasher.
Regards Ian,
Jim is right, it's correct name is a Short-spined Sea Scorpion or bullhead.
Local names for it are Grannyfish, Polliwog and Father lasher.
Regards Ian,
Fished North Shields Sands on Sat 23rd from 12 till 3 blanked apart for this ugly specimen can anyone Identify it ?. Robbie
Sorry its not a good Pic phone camera.
looks like a bullhead ie scorpion fish
dizzydaz
Well-known member
Fished North Shields Sands on Sat 23rd from 12 till 3 blanked apart for this ugly specimen can anyone Identify it ?. Robbie
Sorry its not a good Pic phone camera.
i would of thought it looks like a granny fish/polliwog long time since i seen one of these fish
willywetegg
Administrator
Gazz, if you read Ian Alexander's post above it will explain everything. 
Jim.
Jim.
northeast1
Well-known member
Yer defo a Scorpion fish or named Granny fish, few species of them in our water and they can grow to a canny size.
willywetegg
Administrator
No Gazz, they are'nt poisonous, just a bit on the spikey side mate. If you have any doubts about handling them just use your cloth.
Jim.
Jim.
smokie
Well-known member
Granny fish
Granny fish
Thanks for the interest Guys, Trolled through the net and found The Aquarium Project they had a better Pic than mine
and discription.
Fact File:
Common Name(s):
Long-spined Bullhead,
Bullhead, Rockfish, Scorpion Fish, Clobberhead,
Sea Scorpion
Scientific Name:
Taurulus bubalis
Usual Size:
175 mm
UK Record Weights from rod/line:
Shore:
Boat:
MAFF Minimum Size: Shore: Boat:
Identification:
A small fish with a stout body (flattened out wide about the same as it is high) with a head as large as the rest of its tapering body. Medium-sized cottid, or sculpin. This family of fish are usually regarded as ugly in appearance with a drab colour and this species has four long spines that stick out when the fish is removed from the water. Usually in various shades of brown with large cream blotches, in some areas this fish will be orange or red and the cream blotches will be white. The pectoral fins are huge relative to the small squat body.
Breeding:
Early spring. Small clumps of cream caviar-sized eggs laid in shallow water.
Habitat:
Shallow rocky areas. Small fish will be found in tide pools during the summer. M. scorpius lives in deeper water.
Food:
A large expandable mouth will swallow fish as big as itself. Flattened crushing teeth so it cannot eat anything it cannot swallow whole. In most areas, prawns are its principal diet. It will readily take worms on a hook and bait meant for much larger fish.
Range:
All rocky coasts around the British Isles.
Its range in Scotland is not known and may be replaced by M. scorpius.
English Channel, North Sea, Irish Sea
Additional Notes:
Similiar species: Myoxocephalus scorpius is very similar in appearance. However, the two species can be readily distinguished because only T. bubalis has white lappets on the corner of its wide mouth.
Information wanted: Please send any records of this fish, with location, date, who discovered it, how it was identified, prevalence, common name and any other details to Shorewatch Project EMail [email protected]. All messages will receive a reply.
Additional Link:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/BMLSS/terror.htm
Granny fish
Thanks for the interest Guys, Trolled through the net and found The Aquarium Project they had a better Pic than mine
and discription.
Fact File:
Common Name(s):
Long-spined Bullhead,
Bullhead, Rockfish, Scorpion Fish, Clobberhead,
Sea Scorpion
Scientific Name:
Taurulus bubalis
Usual Size:
175 mm
UK Record Weights from rod/line:
Shore:
Boat:
MAFF Minimum Size: Shore: Boat:
Identification:
A small fish with a stout body (flattened out wide about the same as it is high) with a head as large as the rest of its tapering body. Medium-sized cottid, or sculpin. This family of fish are usually regarded as ugly in appearance with a drab colour and this species has four long spines that stick out when the fish is removed from the water. Usually in various shades of brown with large cream blotches, in some areas this fish will be orange or red and the cream blotches will be white. The pectoral fins are huge relative to the small squat body.
Breeding:
Early spring. Small clumps of cream caviar-sized eggs laid in shallow water.
Habitat:
Shallow rocky areas. Small fish will be found in tide pools during the summer. M. scorpius lives in deeper water.
Food:
A large expandable mouth will swallow fish as big as itself. Flattened crushing teeth so it cannot eat anything it cannot swallow whole. In most areas, prawns are its principal diet. It will readily take worms on a hook and bait meant for much larger fish.
Range:
All rocky coasts around the British Isles.
Its range in Scotland is not known and may be replaced by M. scorpius.
English Channel, North Sea, Irish Sea
Additional Notes:
Similiar species: Myoxocephalus scorpius is very similar in appearance. However, the two species can be readily distinguished because only T. bubalis has white lappets on the corner of its wide mouth.
Information wanted: Please send any records of this fish, with location, date, who discovered it, how it was identified, prevalence, common name and any other details to Shorewatch Project EMail [email protected]. All messages will receive a reply.
Additional Link:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/BMLSS/terror.htm
Last edited:
wavy davy
Well-known member
codcatcher3000
Well-known member
it is a bullhead
it is a bullhead
is definitely a bullhead...plenty of them when fishing of the spiles in seaham when nothing else bites. on a poor nights fishing its normally them and rocklings . think them french eat them . they also occupy lobster pots. when loads of oily baits in , with regards as the whether they are poisonous or not i can tell you that they have stingers which if stung will cause swelling and reddening. it is a low risk extinction group so if you catch one just cut the line and hoy the bugger away back in the water. dont leave them where little bens or other people can pick it up as they can stay alive out of the water for up to two days. it is part of the cottidae familly. cotus gobbio being the scientific name , the colour adapst as well. at low tide if u turn some rocks which are partially submerged they can also be seen (juveniles)
it is a bullhead
is definitely a bullhead...plenty of them when fishing of the spiles in seaham when nothing else bites. on a poor nights fishing its normally them and rocklings . think them french eat them . they also occupy lobster pots. when loads of oily baits in , with regards as the whether they are poisonous or not i can tell you that they have stingers which if stung will cause swelling and reddening. it is a low risk extinction group so if you catch one just cut the line and hoy the bugger away back in the water. dont leave them where little bens or other people can pick it up as they can stay alive out of the water for up to two days. it is part of the cottidae familly. cotus gobbio being the scientific name , the colour adapst as well. at low tide if u turn some rocks which are partially submerged they can also be seen (juveniles)
BAZACODBASHA
Well-known member
CODCATCHER, Sorry mate I have to disagree with you. Scorpion fish or bullheads that are caught in our waters are NOT poisonous and can NOT sting you. I think you are getting confused with a weever, which is a much different shape, and looks far more 'inocent' than a bullhead, and indeed CAN sting you from it's black dorsal fin.
However tropical Scorpion fish are a very different 'kettle of fish' (sorry about the pun ) These are very dangerous, but untill Global warming has reached rediculous proportions, I don't think we have to worry about catching one from Shields pier !
BAZACODBASHA
However tropical Scorpion fish are a very different 'kettle of fish' (sorry about the pun ) These are very dangerous, but untill Global warming has reached rediculous proportions, I don't think we have to worry about catching one from Shields pier !
BAZACODBASHA
willywetegg
Administrator
Yes your right there Baza, a bit on the spikey side but not poisonous at all. I have handled quite a few of them but not a chance of me touching a Weever.
Jim.
Jim.
lambtonworm
Well-known member
ive rescued a few myself on roker by people who insist they poisonous and try to remove the hook by standing on there heads and pulling on the hooklength (morons), after explaining how harmless they are and putting them back hopefully educating the angler at the same time....
