Odd fish found in sump

[gflat65]

I picked up some rock from a friend's sump yesterday afternoon to finish out the 125. This morning, I was turning on the lights in the sump/fuge area, and noticed this 4-5" long fish that looked like a sticking pin (no bigger around). I've never seen one that long and skinny. My buddy has had the same fish for quite a while, and none are long and skinny. Sight unseen (I'll work on a picture), what does this sound like to you? It swam around a little, but more floated like a pipe fish. It had tiny eyes at one end of the 4-5" long needle. That told me I wasn't seeing things.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Was it a pipe fish?

 

[ficklefins]

Was it a pipe fish?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=865

They are a great group of fish that have requirements similar to mandarins.

 

[gflat65]

I'm thinking it might be. He doesn't have any, though. It almost looks like fry.

Here are some pics. Not the best, but the best I could do top down in livestock tubs.

 

[blaze98]

looks like a small pipe fish

 

[Ladipyg]

I've have to vote for the pipe fish too...if it is and you have lots of pods and macro algae in your fuge, it should be just fine. There are lots of diffenent types of pipe fish out there...good luck with it. I am upgrading to a larger tank so that I can set up my 65 gallon bowfront as a planted seahorse and pipefish tank...I love them enough to dedicate a tank strictly to them.

 

[gflat65]

I'm thinking pipefish, too. The snout is pretty well rounded right now, though. We can't figure out where it came from. My friend does maintenance, but isn't aware of anything even remotely similar in any tanks he keeps. If it's full grown, there are a lot less mysteries than if it is fry... If full grown, it could have been hanging out in rocks for years. If a fry, where did it come from with no known other pipefish around? I bought some rock at MACNA back in August or Sept (LR, but mostly dried in a box), and his rock's been in his tank for several years. We'll keep looking for answers.

If I can catch it, I'll put it in a small tank with plenty of sand and pods to get a better look at it.

 

[gflat65]

Got some better shots from different angles. Not as sure on the pipefish idea... The mouth is hinged like a dog (or eel), rather than snouted. May not mean anything, but aside from the general body geometry, it seems different from pipefish.

 

[seafansar]

Hahahaha!!!! I know what it is! It's not a pipefish! Hint: Where it lives makes it unique.

 

[gflat65]

Geographically, or physically (depth of water)?

 

[vetteman]

some kind of eel look at this cusk eels

 

[seafansar]

No. What it lives in. It hitchhikes into peoples tanks, but not in liverock.

 

[gflat65]

Sponge? Come off it.

 

[seafansar]

It's a pearl fish, Carapus acus. This is where it lives!

 

[vetteman]

cool....
http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/images/species/Caacu_u0.jpg

 

[vetteman]

http://www.fishbase.org/summary/speciessummary.php?id=1785

 

[gflat65]

Ahhh. That would make sense since I just bought four cukes for a friend and stored them back there. I didn't know there were cuke commensal fishes.

I found info that they can be cannibalistic and may eat small fish and inverts. I couldn't find much else, though. Any more info out there (adult length, prefered foods, etc.).

Thanks Sara.

 

[returnofsid]

Wow!!! Very cool!!!

 

[Azurel]

Just don't stick your butt in the tank.....LOL

 

[vetteman]

Just don't stick your butt in the tank.....LOL

:waaaht: