Fish id - Juvenile black & white spotted fish - can anyone id it?

[dankaqua]

Saw a super cute fish out of the corner of my eye (er, mask) and was able to snap a couple pics .... very poor pics to be sure, but this guy wasn't hanging around for more modeling.

I thought it was a from the "sweetlips" family (Haemulidae) but I haven't been able to find a photo which is a clear match.

I was back in the water yesterday and saw what _might_ be the parent... but it was deep and elusive.... so my pic is pretty horrible:

This fish was about 10" long and the spots looked similar to the juvenile.

 

[laverda]

The first and second pic is a grouper, but I don’t remember the specific name off hand. I think it might be a panther grouper. I don’t know what the larger on is.

 

[OrionN]

Panther Groupers, Chromileptes altivelis, are white with black spots.

 

[Rednamalas]

Yeah, the first two pictures are not panther groupers, I can say that, but I don't have any idea of what it might be.

 

[ostrow]

Where are you?

 

[Jrain904]

first looks like axilspot hogfish juvenile second may be some sort of sweetlips, resembles oriental sweetlips that is changing from juvie to adult coloration

 

[Lb71]

first looks like axilspot hogfish juvenile second may be some sort of sweetlips, resembles oriental sweetlips that is changing from juvie to adult coloration

Bodianus axillaris

 

[Lb71]

Bodianus axillaris

Could be in last picture Plectorhinichus lineatus common name Lined sweet lips

 

[Soren]

+1 that the first two pictures are likely of juvenile Bodianus axillaris (see 2nd and 3rd pictures for juvenile coloration).
The last picture definitely looks like a sweetlips, though I did not find a match for both lines and spots like the picture. (maybe yellow-lined sweetlips, but they do not seem to have the same spots?)

 

[Reefer Reboot]

The third picture may be a juvenile Macolor niger, (AKA, Black Beauty). Were these pictures taken in the western Pacific or Indian Ocean?

 

[dankaqua]

The third picture may be a juvenile Macolor niger, (AKA, Black Beauty). Were these pictures taken in the western Pacific or Indian Ocean?

Photos taken in the Maldives

 

[dankaqua]

first looks like axilspot hogfish juvenile second may be some sort of sweetlips, resembles oriental sweetlips that is changing from juvie to adult coloration

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/3129/?pcatid=3129

Nice ID! My "guess" as to the parent fish was waaay off!

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Could the bottom one be a yellow line soap fish?