Fish ID?

Alaeriel

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Messages
677
Reaction score
1,558
Location
Minneapolis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I was trimming the macro in the dwarf seahorse tank and came across this little friend. I know rather a lot about seahorses, but I'm no expert by any means. To my novice eyes, he does not appear to *be* a seahorse. This begs the question, what species of fish is he? And how on earth did he find himself a prisoner in my tank? He's very shy and only stays under that particular patch of caulerpa. The macro were shipped with almost no water and the LFS we got the live rock from is unaware of a secret shoal of tiny fish. Is he a fry of something larger, or just a pico saltwater fish that's yet to be capitalized on? In any case, his name is Reginald.

20210827_083838.jpg 20210827_083826.jpg
 
OP
OP
Alaeriel

Alaeriel

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Messages
677
Reaction score
1,558
Location
Minneapolis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Reginald continues to be sighted every couple of days. I assume he eats the same baby brine shrimp and copepods we're feeding the seahorses. He doesn't appear to be aggressive, as he vanishes as soon as anything gets too close. Still hoping to get a species identification on him.
 
OP
OP
Alaeriel

Alaeriel

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Messages
677
Reaction score
1,558
Location
Minneapolis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Captured! Doesn't look very guppy-shaped to me in person, (I only have endlers, though, so certainly still could be). Popcorn for... uh... size reference. And not because I was startled he swam RIGHT into the bottle trap two minutes after I placed it and I stopped mid-munch to flail over to the tank... Definitely not that... also, there are TWO of these beasties.
 

Attachments

  • 20210915_192812.jpg
    20210915_192812.jpg
    91.3 KB · Views: 68
OP
OP
Alaeriel

Alaeriel

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Messages
677
Reaction score
1,558
Location
Minneapolis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Got some decent pictures of the second (smaller) one. They've both gotten some color to them!
 

Attachments

  • 20210915_194830.jpg
    20210915_194830.jpg
    129 KB · Views: 57
  • 20210915_194728.jpg
    20210915_194728.jpg
    96.6 KB · Views: 45
  • 20210915_194652.jpg
    20210915_194652.jpg
    96.5 KB · Views: 50
OP
OP
Alaeriel

Alaeriel

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Messages
677
Reaction score
1,558
Location
Minneapolis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That second one looks like a juvenile killifish to me, but I am far from an expert. First one looks like a mosquitofish, don't know for sure though.
Hopefully they'll keep growing and coloring up in the 20 gallon! I'm excited to see what they grow into! (Just spotted a few more seahorse fry; I was terrified these guys would snack on them.) Glad they're in the other tank. I only have one coral I'd be upset if they messed with, but I find it extremely unlikely given how fond they were of pods and bbs.
 
OP
OP
Alaeriel

Alaeriel

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Messages
677
Reaction score
1,558
Location
Minneapolis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Okay, try looking up Rainwater Killifish (Lucania parva) and see if it's a possible match.
That looks like them! Now that they've got a spat of color on the edges of the scales and fins, the smaller one definitely has that flash of orange while the larger one (possibly female?) is still beginning to color up. Should I slowly start transitioning them to our freshwater setup, or leave them as they are in the 20 gallon reef? From what I've read briefly, they're found in brackish water. Hopefully seawater isn't too traumatic as they've been growing swiftly.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Alaeriel

Alaeriel

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Messages
677
Reaction score
1,558
Location
Minneapolis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Here's the male now; he's nearly two inches long and becoming quite fat! The female is a bit more timid and just over an inch and a half long. They'll both eat absolutely anything. Can be found nibbling nori, PE Calanus frozen pods, reef frenzy, doesn't make a difference to them! I think they'll be permanent residents of the 20 gallon reef display.
 

Attachments

  • 20220107_135848.jpg
    20220107_135848.jpg
    205.8 KB · Views: 38
Back
Top