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Yesterday my kids caught these two fish. I tried to figure out what kind of fish (species and name, to tell my kids a bit more about them) they are but I was not successful. Today we made a trip to a nearby sea-life exhibition which exhibits native sea animals but I couldn't find similar fishes there :-)

They were caught in Callantsoog (north-western Netherlands) in salt water in shallow water next to a breakwater wall at low tide.

This is the first fish. To me it looks like some kind of catfish.

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It is approx. 10 cm long.

This is the second fish. To me it looks like some kind of eel.

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It is approx. 20 / 25cm long.

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    $\begingroup$ It's possible the first species is a juvenile cod. Check out this identification guide for fish in the Wadden Sea $\endgroup$
    – hamilthj
    Apr 30, 2017 at 14:52
  • $\begingroup$ "Identify these two fish" $\endgroup$
    – Krythic
    May 13, 2017 at 9:11

1 Answer 1

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The second fish looks like a rock gunnel (or Butterfish; Pholis gunnellus).

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This is an eel-like fish found in the intertidal and subtidal zones of the North Atlantic.

Interestingly, the rock gunnel is capable of remaining above the waterline at low tide and breathing air.

According to Campbell (1984):

Fully grown adults can reach 30 cm in length. A long dorsal fin spans the body from just behind the head, supported by soft spiny rays. Its anal fin begins roughly midway along the body. The head is rather small with its lower jaw protruding and mouth turned upwards. Coloration is highly variable, ranging from hues of yellow-green to brown to crimson. A row of 9-13 dark spots, each surrounded by a pale ring, lines the dorsal fin

Sources:

1 Campbell, A.C. 1984. The Country Life Guide to the Seashore and Shallow Seas of Britain and Europe. Country Life Books. ISBN 0-600-34396-0

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