A happily eating copperband, and where can I get an Atlantic longnose butterfly(Prognathodes aculeatus)?

[i cant think]

True! I always wanted to get some exotic species that simply don't come to China such as the roa excelsa or other native American fishes (they are much cheaper here in the States).

I love things like Roa Modesta and Roa excelsa too, I find that the Roa and the prognathodes butterflies tend to be unforgotten/unknown but actually, most of them look nicer than the Copperbands and Chelmon marginalis you find more often.

 

[Zionas]

Are you a Chinese hobbyist?

 

[Zionas]

As a Chinese hobbyist who’s mostly learned about the hobby from “Western” sources, I can attest to the fact that it’s hard to get hold of the vast majority of Atlantic fish in the mainland. Hong Kong has a somewhat easier time. The fish selection in China has been somewhat expanding but isn’t great. I hope to see more and more captive bred stuff, especially angels.

Japanese hobbyists, at least the high end collectors, have access to lots of stuff out of reach for the average Western and Chinese hobbyist. I notice Tangs and Clowns don’t seem to be as big in Japan, they’re big on Basslets, Wrasses, Butterflies, Anthias and some dwarf angels.

TBH rarity and conspicuous consumption has no appeal to me. I have to like it. If my goal is to create a harem of dwarf angels I don’t have to go for Joculators or Interrupta. I drool over the collections of the really hardcore folks but my goal is to keep fish and have them for a while, not to show off.

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

I love things like Roa Modesta and Roa excelsa too, I find that the Roa and the prognathodes butterflies tend to be unforgotten/unknown but actually, most of them look nicer than the Copperbands and Chelmon marginalis you find more often.

Yeah, Roa modesta was frequently found in China but few ppl keep them...
Roa excelsa I think is just too hard to get one, they live too deep down.
I wish I can get other species of Roa...
Prognathodes also look great, but I haven't tried one before.

 

[Zionas]

Modesta is native to southern Chinese waters specifically the southern Fujian and Guangdong coasts. I know a guy who lives in Zhanjiang (southern tip of Guangdong) and he has caught them by net in relatively shallow waters. I’d imagine them to be all over Taiwan too.
What fascinates me is there does seem to be a mysterious gap in the distribution of species between the Ryukyus (Okinawa) and the Philippines. A lot of species found in the Ryukyus are rare or non-existent in Taiwan / southern China but start showing up with frequency in the northern Philippines.

Latitude isn’t everything. Southern Japan is at the same latitude as central Jiangsu to Zhejiang in China but I can tell you with certainty the waters along the Chinese coast in those parts are very much not suitable for any coral reefs. Very much temperate. However, southern Japanese waters at the same latitudes have subtropical and by the time you get to the middle of the Ryukyus, fully tropical reefs. The Tokyo / Izu / Shikoku regions of Japan are bathed by the warm Kuroshio (Gulf Stream of Japan). The underwater landscapes there are kind of interesting. Izu Islands are pretty much fully tropical in the southern islands (close to the Ogasawara Islands that are part of Micronesia / the greater Pacific), while the northern Izu Islands as well as the Sagami Bay areas down to Shikoku have a mix of tropical looking and more “temperate” looking undersea views but you find lots of tropical marine species there.

What really fascinates me is how much of the home islands (Japan) fall under a subtropical climate. From what I’ve seen of underwater landscapes in Jeju / Tsushima, basically the maritime border between Japan and Korea, the underwater views lean “temperate” but we do find some tropical / subtropical species there too like the Blueline Angel.

The species diversity in Taiwan isn’t great until we get to southern Taiwan and some of the offshore islands. In the northern parts I mostly just see damsels with a few other kinds of fish here and there, but mostly damsels and the kinds nobody wants. Overfishing could play a role but I’m not sure.

Along much of the southern Chinese coast (Fujian and Guangdong) you get coral clusters, banks but I wouldn’t call them full reefs until you get to Hainan and the South China Sea.

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

Are you a Chinese hobbyist?

Yes!

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

As a Chinese hobbyist who’s mostly learned about the hobby from “Western” sources, I can attest to the fact that it’s hard to get hold of the vast majority of Atlantic fish in the mainland. Hong Kong has a somewhat easier time. The fish selection in China has been somewhat expanding but isn’t great. I hope to see more and more captive bred stuff, especially angels.

Japanese hobbyists, at least the high end collectors, have access to lots of stuff out of reach for the average Western and Chinese hobbyist. I notice Tangs and Clowns don’t seem to be as big in Japan, they’re big on Basslets, Wrasses, Butterflies, Anthias and some dwarf angels.

TBH rarity and conspicuous consumption has no appeal to me. I have to like it. If my goal is to create a harem of dwarf angels I don’t have to go for Joculators or Interrupta. I drool over the collections of the really hardcore folks but my goal is to keep fish and have them for a while, not to show off.

Japanese high-end collectors are just GODs, they get so much cool stuff!

 

[Zionas]

NICE! How’s the hobby in China? You know more than I do lol.

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

Modesta is native to southern Chinese waters specifically the southern Fujian and Guangdong coasts. I know a guy who lives in Zhanjiang (southern tip of Guangdong) and he has caught them by net in relatively shallow waters. I’d imagine them to be all over Taiwan too.
What fascinates me is there does seem to be a mysterious gap in the distribution of species between the Ryukyus (Okinawa) and the Philippines. A lot of species found in the Ryukyus are rare or non-existent in Taiwan / southern China but start showing up with frequency in the northern Philippines.

Latitude isn’t everything. Southern Japan is at the same latitude as central Jiangsu to Zhejiang in China but I can tell you with certainty the waters along the Chinese coast in those parts are very much not suitable for any coral reefs. Very much temperate. However, southern Japanese waters at the same latitudes have subtropical and by the time you get to the middle of the Ryukyus, fully tropical reefs. The Tokyo / Izu / Shikoku regions of Japan are bathed by the warm Kuroshio (Gulf Stream of Japan). The underwater landscapes there are kind of interesting. Izu Islands are pretty much fully tropical in the southern islands (close to the Ogasawara Islands that are part of Micronesia / the greater Pacific), while the northern Izu Islands as well as the Sagami Bay areas down to Shikoku have a mix of tropical looking and more “temperate” looking undersea views but you find lots of tropical marine species there.

What really fascinates me is how much of the home islands (Japan) fall under a subtropical climate. From what I’ve seen of underwater landscapes in Jeju / Tsushima, basically the maritime border between Japan and Korea, the underwater views lean “temperate” but we do find some tropical / subtropical species there too like the Blueline Angel.

The species diversity in Taiwan isn’t great until we get to southern Taiwan and some of the offshore islands. In the northern parts I mostly just see damsels with a few other kinds of fish here and there, but mostly damsels and the kinds nobody wants. Overfishing could play a role but I’m not sure.

Along much of the southern Chinese coast (Fujian and Guangdong) you get coral clusters, banks but I wouldn’t call them full reefs until you get to Hainan and the South China Sea.

Yeah I got my modesta from Yangjiang and I know ppl who gets modestas from Zhejiang.

 

[Zionas]

For sure lol! I read about a guy who’s kept a Debelius Angel for over a decade. I have not seen a living specimen and don’t think most of us ever will. Scott W.Michael has commented on the fact that even at depths over 100 feet only single specimens have been found to date. He thinks it’s because the “main” breeding population is found in much, much deeper water.

 

[Zionas]

As far north as Zhejiang? Wow that’s very interesting…… In my impression Zhejiang’s coastal waters are still too cold to have even loose groups of corals.

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

NICE! How’s the hobby in China? You know more than I do lol.

I won't make much comments as I'm pretty new to this hobby, I would say that there are differences.

 

[Ocypode sinensis]

As far north as Zhejiang? Wow that’s very interesting…… In my impression Zhejiang’s coastal waters are still too cold to have even loose groups of corals.

The more fascinating thing is that he gets them in schools, not just a single specimen longing around.

 

[Zionas]

That’s so interesting!