Q: I saw two of these fish swimming together in a canal at San Luis Pass, Texas. I caught them and photo-graphed them in my home aquarium. The largest was about 6 inches long. My wife saw the pictures and thought that I had somehow made up a fish on the computer. I believe they may have been man-o-war fish. Can you tell me what it is — and tell my wife it's a real fish?
Richard Roe
Alvin, Texas
A: Richard, those are indeed intriguing fish, and you're right on! Man-o-war fish, Nomeus gronovii, related to butterfishes, are taken in large numbers commercially, although they are too small for any recreational interest. Man-o-war fish spend their early days protected by the tentacles of stinging jellyfish, often joined by young jacks of several species. Like clown fishes (e.g., Nemo) that have a method of not being stung by the tentacles of anemones, man-o-war fish may be immune to jellyfish venom. Sometimes, they actually feed on the tentacles. When man-o-war fish reach maturity, they likely leave their protected host to head into deeper water. You can read more about them on page 225 of the book, Dr. Bob Shipp's Guide To Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. — Bob Shipp
