Heni Acuminatus or Diphreutes?

[Biglurr54]

I got this fish as a Diphreutes. Im an concerned that it is an acuminatus. What are your thoughts.

 

[Biglurr54]

Pics

 

[saltyhog]

Looks like H. accuminatus to me. The anal fin in H. diphreutes is almost 90 degrees to the tail fin where in accuminatus it angles back.

 

[mattzang]

where are you getting them from?

i asked tidepoolaquatics about them and i got the impression they have import connections in hawaii, so they might be one to try to hit up

 

[saltyhog]

where are you getting them from?

i asked tidepoolaquatics about them and i got the impression they have import connections in hawaii, so they might be one to try to hit up

If they originate from Hawaii they would be H. diphreutes! That's one area where their ranges don't overlap.

 

[Biglurr54]

Hawaii doesn't export much. I've talked to collectors in Hawaii. They don't like going after the henis because they are deep and have to be decompressed and they don't bring all that much money. Or at least that's what I have been told. It has 11 dorsal spines which is 100% acuminatus but its got such a round chest and the tail is more cut off than other acuminatus. Maybe if there was enough demand we could convince someone to go after them in Hawaii. Supposedly they are plentiful at depth.

 

[BloopFish]

Hawaii doesn't export much. I've talked to collectors in Hawaii. They don't like going after the henis because they are deep and have to be decompressed and they don't bring all that much money. Or at least that's what I have been told. It has 11 dorsal spines which is 100% acuminatus but its got such a round chest and the tail is more cut off than other acuminatus. Maybe if there was enough demand we could convince someone to go after them in Hawaii. Supposedly they are plentiful at depth.

I've talked to a person back in Maui who supposedly would often catch them in front of their house where there was a school of them often, they can also occur in shallower waters. I've seem them also documented being as low as 5 feet by Keoki Stender. Such depths would require no decompression. Though they do appear to be more common in deeper depths. I have spoken to the DAR and it does appear that permits have been pretty stalled and I would assume this means that collection in general is very low nowadays. The going price for Heniochus in Hawaii is also very low from what I recall, so I do think it would mean lower incentives to catch like you say.