Talbots and flame damselfish,

[GoldeneyeRet]

How to tell them apart? I thought it was easy, though I've not kept either.

Today I was at a non local fish store and was watching the flames dart about when the employee tells me they are talbots. Hmm... then she shows me a bag fresh off the plane from QM. Same fish, labeled talbots. I looked up photos and found a lot of variation and not much consensus.
I was pretty sure they were all flames but I have been wrong more than once before. Then again QM, lfs staff and the internet have all been wrong regarding fish ID.

What can be used to positively identify a Talbots damsel? They aren't even the same genus, should not be too tough!

Thanks

 

[Brew12]

How to tell them apart? I thought it was easy, though I've not kept either.

Today I was at a non local fish store and was watching the flames dart about when the employee tells me they are talbots. Hmm... then she shows me a bag fresh off the plane from QM. Same fish, labeled talbots. I looked up photos and found a lot of variation and not much consensus.
I was pretty sure they were all flames but I have been wrong more than once before. Then again QM, lfs staff and the internet have all been wrong regarding fish ID.

What can be used to positively identify a Talbots damsel? They aren't even the same genus, should not be too tough!

Thanks

My understanding is that the Flame damselfish have speckled lines where Talbots are more uniformly colored. Maybe @eatbreakfast can help with more info.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Thanks brew.

I'm seeing now that yellow ventral fins indicate talbots over flame, but now I'm not sure these were either of them!

My picture stinks so I asked them to send me another one.

 

[nereefpat]

Is the flame Pomacentrus?

If so, the overall shape is pretty different. The eye spot on the flame is a give away, with the blue ring around it. Talbot is usually pretty dull colored compared to many juvy damsels, if that helps.

I'm guessing you want to be sure you are getting the peaceful chrysiptera species?

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Yes, flame is Pomecentrus bankenensis.

I am looking at Chrysiptera species but really I was just surprised my ID was off while looking at what I thought were flames. Now I just want to know so that when I do stock damsels I dont make a mistake.

Thanks for the info

 

[eatbreakfast]

To me they both look very different. P. bankenensis are more of a "brown" whereas the talbot's is more pink.

Flames have a white tail, talbots match their body color.

The ocelli on the flames have a blue ring.

The ocelli on talbots is farther forward on the body compared to flames.

The face is more "rounded" on flames than on talbots.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Thanks. Any similar species to these two?

 

[ca1ore]

I've had flames in the past and the white base to the tail was always the giveaway. FWIW, I've bought a few sets of Talbots, and they all looked subtly different until they matured - then they all looked the same. Kind of drab as juvies; much nicer as adults ..... and it doesn't take long.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Thanks ca1ore

 

[nereefpat]

You've probably already seen them, but in case you haven't...

Look into the popular chrysiptera damsels like, yellow tail, sapphire, azure.

A tuxedo would be another fun one, as long as you are sure you aren't getting the ****** dascyllus genus.

 

[Maritimer]

I've got three Chrysiptera damsel groups in my 220 - the Talbott's are most likely to dig up the substrate under a rock. The Azures and Rolland's, I feel are just slightly less aggressive than the Talbott's, but I've got three each of those, and only two of the Talbott's. Really, I'd recommend any of that genus - but (whispers) I think I like the Rolland's best.

~Bruce

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I just bought four rollands yesterday!

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Talbots?

 

[ca1ore]

Yes, that's where I got mine.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

See, that looks like the flame to me.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

To me, this looks like talbots

 

[Maritimer]

The fish in post #13 doesn't look like a Talbot's to me. Fish in post #16 does, though an immature one.

~Bruce

 

[eatbreakfast]

Talbots?

Nope.

To me, this looks like talbots

Yep.

 

[ca1ore]

So what do we think the fish in post 13 actually is? All the 'talbots' I have are that ...... . Regional variant perhaps? Would be just GREAT if I end up with five at 5" of bad attitude .....

 

[eatbreakfast]

So what do we think the fish in post 13 actually is? All the 'talbots' I have are that ...... . Regional variant perhaps? Would be just GREAT if I end up with five at 5" of bad attitude .....

A Pomacentrus for sure, probably a sister species of bankenensis, because it is nearly identical except for thetail color.