I haven't seen the squid here yet but i have not had a chance to night dive
(well, honestly i don't have the guts to dive overboard at night) . the
cephalopod i saw at lake worth was a cuttlefish , i got close enough at
about 4-6 ft , very clear conditions , in fact so clear that the barracuda i
mentioned seemed like hovering zeppelins. anyway , i have seen cuttlefish on
the discovery channel often and recognized it immediately . I would never
want to match wits or experience with you Bob and i feel rather silly
arguing the point but it truly was a cuttlefish.
i do remember seeing the color and pattern shift , as the animal passed from
rocks to sand the body color went from the dark pattern of the rocks to
almost white like the sugar sand it was passing over . i have also read that
cuttle fish are found worldwide in tropical waters especially near corals or
sea grass. the prey mostly on small crustaceans, mostly shrimpand can even
subdue a mantis shrimp.
as for the cuttle bone , i go through about two or three per day with the 40
finches we have (27 species , java temple rice sparrows, gouldian, waxbills
(4 different species there ) star finches, spices finches , bengelese or
socities (three species ) african silver bill , australian shaft tail, and
even cuban waxbills....we have had several birds nest up and produce young
and all these finches living in a aviary  2 ft deep, 5 ft long 4 1/2 ft
tall.
If you guys would like a pair of chocolate self bengalese finches i would be
glad to give them to you , they are my most prolific birds and have given us
some beautiful offspring ,, all the best to all , mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert & Betty Lipe <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, November 10, 1999 2:58 AM
Subject: Re: Cuttlefish


>Ferreter, have you ever found a cuttle bone on the beach.  I have, in
>West Africa.  The cuttlefish has a cuttle bone in its body, you know the
>ones they put in bird cages.  The squid that are all over the Caribbean
>are not cuttlefish. Even though the cuttlefish is a squid.  I have seen
>these small squid especially at night.  I don't think cuttlefish are in
>our waters, what do others think?  Once again just my opinion.
>
>Bob
>
>
>ferreter wrote:
>>
>> Hi Andrew, I was snorkeling around at the beach to the south of lake
worth
>> inlet as i drifted around in about 6-10 ft of water i came across a
>> cuttlefish and it was just as curious about me as i for it. i have never
>> seen another in s. fl waters . what species ??? sorry but i don't know ,
>> describing it would be like telling someone who was blind what the color
>> blue looks like as they(the cuttlefish) change color , texture and
pattern
>> in a blink of an eye. i did get about five feet from it before it
vanished ,
>> and i really mean vanish , probably shot under me but it was gone .
......
>> BTW, about ten barracuda in the same area , they are just as curious but
i
>> find them a bit more ,,,,un-nerving....(just keep telling yourself "they
>> don't bite!!" {much}) ferret
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Andrew D Dickson <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>> Date: Wednesday, November 10, 1999 1:53 AM
>> Subject: Re: Cuttlefish
>>
>> >Dear Conch-L'ers,
>> >
>> >I have been wondering for years if there are really cuttlefish in the
>> >Caribbean waters.  If so, which species?  I have looked on the internet
>> >and found some websites.  Unless I missed something, none of the sites
>> >answer my questions.  I have heard rumors of cuttlebones washing up on
>> >the Florida east coast beaches.
>> >
>> >Andrew Dickson
>> >[log in to unmask]
>> >
>
>--
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