Barracudas!
- Thread starter Euphyllia
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? Do they sell them in the bay area? I want one! But my tank is smaller than the fish. They get to be 6.5 feet long! 
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And they eat on your hand when they get 6.5feet.
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Obviously you have never been diving with them or you wouldn't find them so cute. I am perfectly happy divind with all kinds of sharks etc, but barracudas scare the crap out of me. Very unpredictable fish and yes I have had several try to take some of my fingers.
Good luck with that.
Good luck with that.
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Lucky ocean had a little anchovy sized one he got because a customer wanted one... however the customer flaked and it got larger and larger, hell last I saw it it had to be at least 2 feet long.
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I have an interesting story about them.
When I lived in Jamaica I used to go down our our villages beach with the kids and go swimming all the time. We used to play a game where you swim under water and try to grab ppls feet and pull them under. Our villages beach allowed you to walk (6' deep max) for 100's of yards off the shore.
One day we were playing and I was swimming under water, when I came up I was very far from shore and ALL the kids were basicly running to shore (cloest one was at least 100 yards from me). I was in about 4' of water. I started to call out to them asking why they were leaving, the oldest kid told me to come to shore but NOT TO RUN, whatever I did don't swim and DO NOT RUN. I really had no idea what he was talking about and could hardly hear him, then bump, bump bump bump into my legs. It was a fairly dark time of the day and I really was having a hard time seeing the ocean floor, but I could feel these bumps into my legs. I begin to get pretty scared and started to walk very fast to shore. They started telling me to slow down, but hell I was being bumped by something and I couldn't make it out, slow was not what I wanted to do.
After I got to 3 ' water I could see these long fish all around me, I was freaking out, since these fish seemed to scare the hell outta the kids and I lived in a damn fishing village (if anything I woulda thought they were getting out to get something to catch these fish).
When I finnaly got out I had some choice burises on my legs, the kids informed me that I just walked out of a huge hunting party of cuda, and I should thank Jah I never got cut, or it coulda been real bad for me.
When I lived in Jamaica I used to go down our our villages beach with the kids and go swimming all the time. We used to play a game where you swim under water and try to grab ppls feet and pull them under. Our villages beach allowed you to walk (6' deep max) for 100's of yards off the shore.
One day we were playing and I was swimming under water, when I came up I was very far from shore and ALL the kids were basicly running to shore (cloest one was at least 100 yards from me). I was in about 4' of water. I started to call out to them asking why they were leaving, the oldest kid told me to come to shore but NOT TO RUN, whatever I did don't swim and DO NOT RUN. I really had no idea what he was talking about and could hardly hear him, then bump, bump bump bump into my legs. It was a fairly dark time of the day and I really was having a hard time seeing the ocean floor, but I could feel these bumps into my legs. I begin to get pretty scared and started to walk very fast to shore. They started telling me to slow down, but hell I was being bumped by something and I couldn't make it out, slow was not what I wanted to do.
After I got to 3 ' water I could see these long fish all around me, I was freaking out, since these fish seemed to scare the hell outta the kids and I lived in a damn fishing village (if anything I woulda thought they were getting out to get something to catch these fish).
When I finnaly got out I had some choice burises on my legs, the kids informed me that I just walked out of a huge hunting party of cuda, and I should thank Jah I never got cut, or it coulda been real bad for me.
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Great story! I got scared at the climax. When I was in Hawaii last year, I was walking in one of those areas blocked from the waves (but still connected to the ocean) and I saw a school of long, 3ft, brownish-silver colored fish. I wasn't thinking so I walked up to them and tried to "pet" them (tried to walk in the school and tough them). At that point, it occurred to me they were pipe fish (which I now realize they were not) and they started to scare. I saw the school sneaking up on me from the back, and when I walked towards them they swam away. Now I realize they were cudas.
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[quote author=Euphyllia link=topic=6448.msg82797#msg82797 date=1235096144]
I know they are a bad choice for my aquarium, but if I had a 300 gallon, I would SO buy one... or fifty.
Never been diving, but I think I saw a pack of them in Hawaii (Waikiki Beach).
[/quote][quote author=Euphyllia link=topic=6448.msg82835#msg82835 date=1235102473]
Great story! I got scared at the climax. When I was in Hawaii last year, I was walking in one of those areas blocked from the waves (but still connected to the ocean) and I saw a school of long, 3ft, brownish-silver colored fish. I wasn't thinking so I walked up to them and tried to "pet" them (tried to walk in the school and tough them). At that point, it occurred to me they were pipe fish (which I now realize they were not) and they started to scare. I saw the school sneaking up on me from the back, and when I walked towards them they swam away. Now I realize they were cudas.
[/quote]
I'm from Hawaii, and I have never seen nor heard of barracuda at Waikiki beach. You can be sure that would have made the news. I'm not saying it can't happen, but Wakiki is big tourist country, and there are life guards spaced every 20 feet or so (ok, I'm exaggerating, but you get the idea). The life guards would have NEVER let you into the water if there were barracuda. They would know. The beaches on Oahu and most islands have lifeguards. Can't let the tourists get hurt because tourism is the #1 business in Hawaii. The state does not want press from an unwary tourist getting hurt by being foolish enough to stick their hand in a sharks mouth. Sometimes people do the darndest things when they are on vacation. It seems their sense leaves them and they think nothing can hurt them. Unfortunately, some find out the hard way.
I know they are a bad choice for my aquarium, but if I had a 300 gallon, I would SO buy one... or fifty.
Never been diving, but I think I saw a pack of them in Hawaii (Waikiki Beach).
[/quote][quote author=Euphyllia link=topic=6448.msg82835#msg82835 date=1235102473]
Great story! I got scared at the climax. When I was in Hawaii last year, I was walking in one of those areas blocked from the waves (but still connected to the ocean) and I saw a school of long, 3ft, brownish-silver colored fish. I wasn't thinking so I walked up to them and tried to "pet" them (tried to walk in the school and tough them). At that point, it occurred to me they were pipe fish (which I now realize they were not) and they started to scare. I saw the school sneaking up on me from the back, and when I walked towards them they swam away. Now I realize they were cudas.
[/quote]
I'm from Hawaii, and I have never seen nor heard of barracuda at Waikiki beach. You can be sure that would have made the news. I'm not saying it can't happen, but Wakiki is big tourist country, and there are life guards spaced every 20 feet or so (ok, I'm exaggerating, but you get the idea). The life guards would have NEVER let you into the water if there were barracuda. They would know. The beaches on Oahu and most islands have lifeguards. Can't let the tourists get hurt because tourism is the #1 business in Hawaii. The state does not want press from an unwary tourist getting hurt by being foolish enough to stick their hand in a sharks mouth. Sometimes people do the darndest things when they are on vacation. It seems their sense leaves them and they think nothing can hurt them. Unfortunately, some find out the hard way.
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Well, it was some type of fish about 3ft or so and it was in a group. It looked a lot like one in the picture I saw on that site that I posted the link to. Must have been something else. Don't they have massive groups of box jellys there in the spring? I saw on animal planet. They were filming them right in the area on Waikiki where everybody swims... 
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According to my Hawaii fish book there are barracuda, the great barracuda and heller's barracuda.
However it more than likely could have been a needlefish or trumpetfish as well, they can have the very slender long bodies, silvery, hang out in groups, typically near the surface, I saw plenty of them.
However it more than likely could have been a needlefish or trumpetfish as well, they can have the very slender long bodies, silvery, hang out in groups, typically near the surface, I saw plenty of them.
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I would always see tons of those needlefish in Hawaii. I've only seen a baracuda once in hawaii and that was when my friends and I caught one fishing. They are scary looking fish. None of us wanted to get even close to the hook. Although we did catch it shore fishing the hook was only 20-30 feet off shore.
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I saw one off in the distance Im sure off last time I went diving in Hawaii. I usually see lots of fish when I snorkel out from the shore line. It could have been a needle fish..
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Oh yes, absolutely there are barracuda in Hawaii. My grandfather used to catch them off a pier on Maui. 
He was an avid fisherman. My mom says he knew how to clean and eat puffers too. No one else would, for good reason!
I believe barracuda prefer open, deeper waters, so if you go beyond the reef, you are more likely to see them. Or perhaps in a Bay? There are sharks in Kaneohe Bay, so I don't see why there couldn't be barracuda. People usually don't swim in the bay though, because it is where the sewage treatment plant empties into the ocean, plus it is a breeding area for sharks.
I have been scuba diving off Waikiki and didn't see them. Lots of schooling fish and turtles though.
Ian, where did you catch yours? I guess if there is a prey item, they will be tempted to come in. A long time ago, before they had rules about feeding the fish at Hanauma Bay, people used to feed the fish. Some pretty large open water fish would smell the food and come through the openings in the reef to get a free lunch. I have seen small yellowfin tuna with other open water fish feeding among the tourists legs.
He was an avid fisherman. My mom says he knew how to clean and eat puffers too. No one else would, for good reason! I believe barracuda prefer open, deeper waters, so if you go beyond the reef, you are more likely to see them. Or perhaps in a Bay? There are sharks in Kaneohe Bay, so I don't see why there couldn't be barracuda. People usually don't swim in the bay though, because it is where the sewage treatment plant empties into the ocean, plus it is a breeding area for sharks.
I have been scuba diving off Waikiki and didn't see them. Lots of schooling fish and turtles though.
Ian, where did you catch yours? I guess if there is a prey item, they will be tempted to come in. A long time ago, before they had rules about feeding the fish at Hanauma Bay, people used to feed the fish. Some pretty large open water fish would smell the food and come through the openings in the reef to get a free lunch. I have seen small yellowfin tuna with other open water fish feeding among the tourists legs.
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What I saw may have been a needle fish. Anybody ever been to Anini Beach over on Kauai? My family rents a vacation house for a week on the beach every year and we ALWAYS go to the ocean every day! One time we saw a couple of HUGE turtles about 15 feet off shore in about 3 foot deep water when we were kayaking... but I got scared and paddled back to shore. Since there is a big, natural barrier of the reef, the water is 3-5 feet deep for about 2 miles out I think. But when it is high tide, it can get a bit... well not a bit but REALLY SCARY! I like to pick up all the beautiful shells that they have and bring them to my hermit crabs for a present since they always enjoy new shells. You guys have got to go there some time. It is awesome!
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Euphyllia said:
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Pele gets mad if you take anything from her lands and puts a curse on you!