Let Me ID Your Wrasse!

[eatbreakfast]

The colors didn't seem quite right for H. Margaritacea, but that was the closest I could find. Nothing about it would I consider greenish.

H. margaritacea is more prominently greyish as a juvenile.

 

[townjas]

Would they do well with biocellotus, timorensis and a melanurus?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Would they do well with biocellotus, timorensis and a melanurus?

As a juvenile/female it will be fine, but as they mature they get more aggressive. More aggressive than the species mentioned here.

 

[Rybren]

I walked into the LFS the other day and one of the tanks had a sign reading 8-line flasher wrasse $34. I looked in the tank and there were 2 wrasses in there, but neither was an 8-line flasher. I had a big sad face. I looked into another tank and there were 2 Pseudocheilinus octotaenia. I pointed out the error to a staff member who then checked the invoice and said oops. He then went on to tell me that the other 2 wrasses came in as Carpenters. I told him that I was pretty sure they weren't, but they looked good so I grabbed one.

I'm thinking P. flavianalis. Sorry for the poor picture, but I think it should be good enough for an ID. Thanks.

 

[Maritimer]

Your thinking is right along the lines of mine, looking at that photo - that's a yellowfin flasher, P. flavianalis. Looks like a nice one, too!

~Bruce

 

[eatbreakfast]

I walked into the LFS the other day and one of the tanks had a sign reading 8-line flasher wrasse $34. I looked in the tank and there were 2 wrasses in there, but neither was an 8-line flasher. I had a big sad face. I looked into another tank and there were 2 Pseudocheilinus octotaenia. I pointed out the error to a staff member who then checked the invoice and said oops. He then went on to tell me that the other 2 wrasses came in as Carpenters. I told him that I was pretty sure they weren't, but they looked good so I grabbed one.

I'm thinking P. flavianalis. Sorry for the poor picture, but I think it should be good enough for an ID. Thanks.

Definitely P. flavianalis. They come in id'd as carpenters more often than they do as flavianalis.

 

[Rybren]

Thanks guys.

 

[cmcoker]

Lfs owner was telling me he can't identify between "Blue flasher" I think he means Paracheilinus cyaneus, or two spot flasher think he means Paracheilinus lineopunctatus. Hard to know with common names.. Anyways here's a video of the fish.. Also any thoughts on the spinning behavior?
Hes been in there subtheraputic copper system about a month. He does swim around and flash at other fish in the tank as well.

 

[evolved]

It's lineopunctatus; note the shape of the tail.

The circles are a bit peculiar, but he seems alright when not doing them.

 

[cmcoker]

It's lineopunctatus; note the shape of the tail.

The circles are a bit peculiar, but he seems alright when not doing them.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking, just wasn't sure. Think I'll probably pick him up this weekend if he's still there..

 

[Maritimer]

If I had to guess, there's something irritating that tailfin, and he's trying to nip it off.

C. lineopunctatus has a squared / rounded tail, and C. cyaneus has a somewhat lunate tail. Both are charming, and closer to true red than a lot of reef-safe fish get.

~Bruce

 

[demonspeedn]

Are there any distinguishing characteristics of Fairies and Flashers when turning from female to male? I know other Wrasses are easy to tell when changing.

 

[Mike_J]

If I had to guess, there's something irritating that tailfin, and he's trying to nip it off.

C. lineopunctatus has a squared / rounded tail, and C. cyaneus has a somewhat lunate tail. Both are charming, and closer to true red than a lot of reef-safe fish get.

~Bruce

Totally agree, I've gotten a few wrasses in the past from LFSs that were afflicted with Ich and noticed the spinning behavior in QT, trying to pick off trophonts on the caudal.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Are there any distinguishing characteristics of Fairies and Flashers when turning from female to male? I know other Wrasses are easy to tell when changing.

Females are pretty drab and lack color in their fins. Once they start coloring up, they have begun transitioning into males.

 

[cnseekatz]

Who can ID this guy/gal?

 

[cnseekatz]

 

[eatbreakfast]

Who can ID this guy/gal?

Male Halichoeres melanochir.

 

[cnseekatz]

Male Halichoeres melanochir.

I think I found the ID, Halichoeres podostigma (Axil Spot Wrasse). Never seen it before... LFS had two today & he had no idea what it was.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I think I found the ID, Halichoeres podostigma (Axil Spot Wrasse). Never seen it before... LFS had two today & he had no idea what it was.

Yup, you're right.

 

[Rybren]

LFS is calling this a male melanurus. I don't think it is, but I've been known to be wrong before. Thanks.