Holy Grail Fish

[Rakie]

Actually, I have a true rarity here. You can't find them anywhere, they don't ship well, and they're amazing.

SPS Gobies. Tiny nearly translucent gobies that live communally in SPS. I've looked everywhere. I've asked everybody.. You just can't get them. They are micro sized, a HUGE one would be 1/2" it seems.

 

[puffy127]

Congrats to all who have finally found their grail fish! Also, I envy those who are still dreaming and can finally fill that void someday! Mine always has been, and likely always will be... The interruptus angel. I've never seen one make it too long in captivity unless kept in a cold water system... Something I'm just not willing to do... Plus, the price and questionable ethics regarding the capture of the fish just make it almost a non-starter for me... But, they sure are spectacular:

I'm not sure what "questionable ethics" regarding the capture of them you are referring to here. They are not endangered and there is no cyanide/dynamite, etc. used to capture them. They are caught exclusively in Japan in deep water, which is why they cost so much. Here is mine:

 

[Montiman]

Just stumbled across this thread my LFS got in one my holy grail fish that I thought I would never see in person. The goldback trigger fish Xanthichthys caeruleolineatus to bad I had no money and no tank big enough for him.

 

[evolved]

Leonardi Wrasse are up there for me.

If only they were easy to keep alive. Super rare for anyone to keep them to maturity; literally a handful of success stories.

They are caught exclusively in Japan in deep water

That, in itself, is the issue. Where they're claimed to be collected and where they're actually collected may not be the same, as collection in many regions is not legal.

 

[Roid Reefs]

Mine is a very common and easy to get a hold of fish. I love sail fin tangs and think they are about as pretty as anything else out there. However I currently own a 90 gallon and wont do that, down the road I will have a bigger tank and a sail fin.

Love mine, he WAS in a 75G. Less than a year, got him small. I just purchased a 180 and he is not in there along with a yellow and a scopas. This leads to my holy Grail fish, a Black Tang, Zebrasoma rostratum. And my wifes is a Powder Blue Tang.
I just transferred my current fish over to the 180, so I am letting them get settled. give it a couple weeks, and we will see what happens. Some local club members say I can add both, so can both be done? yes. will there be some trials if so? maybe. Lets just say my go to LFS that I worked at briefly on my Fridays off have one of each in stock

 

[puffy127]

That, in itself, is the issue. Where they're claimed to be collected and where they're actually collected may not be the same, as collection in many regions is not legal.

Is this known to be an issue with interrupta?

 

[evolved]

Is this known to be an issue with interrupta?

Depends what story(ies) you believe... ;Peeking
(but by most accounts, yes)

 

[Phycodurus]

... a harem of peppermint angelfish!

*sigh* for the time being, a handful of these will have to do. ;Wacky

 

[Wunderpus]

I'm not sure what "questionable ethics" regarding the capture of them you are referring to here. They are not endangered and there is no cyanide/dynamite, etc. used to capture them. They are caught exclusively in Japan in deep water, which is why they cost so much. Here is mine:

There may be updated facts on this, so please keep in mind it was relayed to me years ago from Scott over at SDC. Anyway, he told me they have to puncture the swim bladder when they are collected as they are very deep water. Apparently, that causes a HIGH mortality rate within the first few days, before they are ever shipped. This is secondhand info, but I always took what Scott told me as fact as he was always a straight shooter.

If you have information otherwise, please let me know. I've always just assumed that was correct.

 

[nbd13]

Love this thread. I got into this hobby 20 years ago and stepped out about 12 year ago. Just got back in about 5 months ago.

I’ve always wanted a conspic and thanks to my gracious wife was able to get a captive bred one from POMA:

I used to own a bandit angel and wanted one for my new tank. Was able to source a nice 3” one:

Also owned a joculator back then and have one for this tank. Will have to get some pictures.

Trying to source and interruptus angel too.

In terms of fish I would love but are too expensive....peppermint angels and masked/personsatus angel.

 

[puffy127]

There may be updated facts on this, so please keep in mind it was relayed to me years ago from Scott over at SDC. Anyway, he told me they have to puncture the swim bladder when they are collected as they are very deep water. Apparently, that causes a HIGH mortality rate within the first few days, before they are ever shipped. This is secondhand info, but I always took what Scott told me as fact as he was always a straight shooter.

If you have information otherwise, please let me know. I've always just assumed that was correct.

In the July/August 2015 issue of Coral Magazine, John Coppolino's article indicated that this was mainly an issue for the larger adult male specimens and that there has been some improvements in collection techniques and proper decompression in recent years. This is less of a problem for the smaller female specimens, which are collected at much shallower depths.

All the interrupta specimens I've seen for sale have been the smaller female specimens.

 

[Wrangy]

If only they were easy to keep alive. Super rare for anyone to keep them to maturity; literally a handful of success stories.

Being in Australia there's a bit more success with them due to much less shipping stress and being able to have much better access to getting the right sized specimen but they're still by no means easy to keep they're such incredible fish though! I think they're just super poor shippers and really difficult to train which makes them so hard! The same thing for a. femininus, the local caught ones do so so so much better than the imports!

 

[Wrangy]

Love this thread. I got into this hobby 20 years ago and stepped out about 12 year ago. Just got back in about 5 months ago.

I’ve always wanted a conspic and thanks to my gracious wife was able to get a captive bred one from POMA:

I used to own a bandit angel and wanted one for my new tank. Was able to source a nice 3” one:

Also owned a joculator back then and have one for this tank. Will have to get some pictures.

Trying to source and interruptus angel too.

In terms of fish I would love but are too expensive....peppermint angels and masked/personsatus angel.

I'm glad you like the thread mate! I thought it was a cool and interesting idea!

Super super jealous of you conspic and bandit though!! Stunning fish!

 

[408Dartfish]

For me would be a gold flake angelfish.

 

[BigKid4788]

Congrats to all who have finally found their grail fish! Also, I envy those who are still dreaming and can finally fill that void someday! Mine always has been, and likely always will be... The interruptus angel. I've never seen one make it too long in captivity unless kept in a cold water system... Something I'm just not willing to do... Plus, the price and questionable ethics regarding the capture of the fish just make it almost a non-starter for me... But, they sure are spectacular:

I’ve had mine for about 3 years now. Great fish. Pull the trigger!

 

[Wunderpus]

In the July/August 2015 issue of Coral Magazine, John Coppolino's article indicated that this was mainly an issue for the larger adult male specimens and that there has been some improvements in collection techniques and proper decompression in recent years. This is less of a problem for the smaller female specimens, which are collected at much shallower depths.

All the interrupta specimens I've seen for sale have been the smaller female specimens.

2015 is more recent than the conversation I was referring to

So, I do not doubt you’re correct that females are less problematic. At the time, I wasn’t told it was specific from male to female.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Current, after 5 years of waiting.
:- )

Tiny Copperband
Tiny purple tang
Pair of tiny flame angelfish
Pair of small bicolor angelfish


Future

For a separate tank
Healthy ribbon eel

For another separate tank
Seahorse tank

Hmmm, can I realistically combine a hand fed ribbon eel with a seahorse tank???

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

I don't feel as strong a desire to buy more fish knowing these guys are waiting for me to get home every day. That's how I know they are my holy grail fish.

 

[jpas]

Great thread!!!

Here are a few of mine:

Declivis Butterfly
French Angel 8”
Queen Angel 7”
Imperor Angel
Moorish idol.
Gang of Tangs

 

[Wrangy]

I don't feel as strong a desire to buy more fish knowing these guys are waiting for me to get home every day. That's how I know they are my holy grail fish.

Super super jealous!!! I'm hoping to be able to get a captive bred pair for myself in the future as I love flatheads so much