Any Hogfish experts ????

[richw]

So I have purchased a Hogfish believing it was a Bodianus Masudai but having looked at it more closely I’m inclined to think it is a Bodianus opercularis I’m sure there is someone out there who can I.D this fish !

New to reef2reef and hello from the U.K

 

[Pbh-reef]

Do you know where it was collected ?
@evolved what do you think?

 

[richw]

It’s from TMC in the U.K a large wholesailer, I don’t know it’s origin but was assured it was a masudai however all the pics I have seen it doesn’t have the fan shaped coloration on the caudal fin. Thanks for your reply and I’ll try and get in touch with them.

 

[lion king]

It’s from TMC in the U.K a large wholesailer, I don’t know it’s origin but was assured it was a masudai however all the pics I have seen it doesn’t have the fan shaped coloration on the caudal fin. Thanks for your reply and I’ll try and get in touch with them.

How big is it, it appears to be a juvi from the pic. As a juvi a few of them can be very confusing and the coloration will change.

 

[richw]

I’d say it was 3” long.

 

[richw]

From their website

 

[pcon]

This is unfortunately confounded as the common name of a few species is masudai. B. sepiacaudus, is by far the most common. Yours does not look like a B. Masudai nor B. neopercularis

Neopercularis

Does not look like this juvi opercularis

leads me to believe B.sepiacaudus, but I’m not a hog expert. On second look the The tail is not totally right for sepiacaudus but it’s hard to find reference images for small sepiacaudus.

 

[lion king]

It does appear to resemble a Bodianus opercularis more than a Bodianus Masudai, the tail just doesn't look right for a masudai. Check this guy out: https://reefbuilders.com/2016/10/19/bodianus-bennetti/

 

[eatbreakfast]

It's a juvenile B. opercularis. As it matures the caudal tail coloration will develop further.

 

[Zionas]

Opercularis. Masudai and Izuensis are very rare, I think almost endemic to Japan.

Usually what we see in the trade listed as the “Pacific Peppermint Hogfish” or “Pacific Red Stripe Hogfish” or sometimes mistakenly as the “Izu Hogfish” is B. Opercularis. I have never seen an actual Masuda’s or Izu Hogfish for sale.

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Opercularis. Masudai and Izuensis are very rare, I think almost endemic to Japan.

Usually what we see in the trade listed as the “Pacific Peppermint Hogfish” or “Pacific Red Stripe Hogfish” or sometimes mistakenly as the “Izu Hogfish” is B. Opercularis. I have never seen an actual Masuda’s or Izu Hogfish for sale.

Neither of those species are endemic to japan, and have much wider distributions than you describe. Izuensis has been offered with some frequency on DD

 

[Zionas]

Thanks for correcting me. Unfortunately I don’t live in the US so no access to DD. :(

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Thanks for correcting me. Unfortunately I don’t live in the US so no access to DD. :(

Thats a shame, can you not still check it, i live in the UK and still check it just for fun to see all the cool fish.

 

[Zionas]

Yeah I can check it, but if only I could buy anything from them. :( None of the Western online retailers ship to Asia.

 

[evolved]

I'm also in agreement with B. opercularis.

 

[pcon]

I think the Opercularis Pic I posted was miss ID by Reef builders. The pics on fish base are a dead ringer for OP's fish.
https://www.fishbase.se/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Bodianus&Species=opercularis

 

[Squidward]

He looks pretty cool though! I only have experience with the Bigger Cuban Hogfish! Love mines!

 

[evolved]

I think the Opercularis Pic I posted was miss ID by Reef builders.

But they've never gotten anything wrong before?!?!? ;Troll