Let Me ID Your Wrasse!

[evolved]

Is it female because of the bars? I have a H. Melanurus that I just got a few weeks ago, initially didn't have any of the bars on the body, but now is developing them very prominently.

Rather, because of the overall coloration and the prominent "eye spots" still present.

 

[Texas Reefer]

Great, thank you!

 

[Texas Reefer]

Will it stay female, or become the more vibrant male?

 

[evolved]

Chances are it will transition to male, but there are no guarantees.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Little better pics

 

[monkiboy]

what differentiating characteristics are there to look for between juvies and adults when comparing h.biocellatus and h.ornatissimus?

here's a video ERC has posted up on their site. i have a couple of these in my own reef and wondering how to tell these guys apart with a bit more precision.

[video=youtube;qvSl8yx8sAU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvSl8yx8sAU[/video]

 

[farbodb]

hi.i'm new here,can someone ID this wrasse for me?
sry for bad pic
thanks

 

[eatbreakfast]

what differentiating characteristics are there to look for between juvies and adults when comparing h.biocellatus and h.ornatissimus?

here's a video ERC has posted up on their site. i have a couple of these in my own reef and wondering how to tell these guys apart with a bit more precision.

[video=youtube;qvSl8yx8sAU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvSl8yx8sAU[/video]

Ocelli, or eye spots along the dorsal are indicators of a juvenile. Also as they age the green stripes along the face get better defined and lose the shimmer affect to become darker.

hi.i'm new here,can someone ID this wrasse for me?
sry for bad pic
thanks

Anampses caeruleopunctatus.

 

[Exotic Reef Creations]

Thanks for the reply to our video, sir. As I understand those are the same between the two species. Are there any differentiating indicators between the two? Would you agree that the video is of a h.ornatissimus or h.biocellatus or does one have to wait until non-juvie for sufficiently evident characteristics to become present?

 

[evolved]

Little better pics

C. rubripinnis is a strong candidate. It's a juvi regardless of species.

Ocelli, or eye spots along the dorsal are indicators of a juvenile. Also as they age the green stripes along the face get better defined and lose the shimmer affect to become darker.

Yup, and this is H. biocellatus.

Anampses caeruleopunctatus.

For sure.

Thanks for the reply to our video, sir. As I understand those are the same between the two species. Are there any differentiating indicators between the two? Would you agree that the video is of a h.ornatissimus or h.biocellatus or does one have to wait until non-juvie for sufficiently evident characteristics to become present?

It's determinate now. H. biocellatus as noted above.

At the juvi stage, they're easy to tell apart by the presence of H. biocellatus tell-tale marker; the bold stripe below the eye and extending onto the body.

For comparison, at this stage of development:

H. biocellatus

H. ornatissimus

And if we go to the extreme of comparisons at the really juvi stage:

H. biocellatus

H. ornatissimus

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Better pic of the yellow fin

 

[evolved]

That one is certainly looking like C. pylei...
And that's my final answer at this point.

 

[Loki]

Today I noticed from across the room the white mouth on my wrasse. At first I thought it was sand in its mouth but I got closer and noticed it's the coloring, or lack thereof, around it.

 

[monkiboy]

Yup, and this is H. biocellatus.
It's determinate now. H. biocellatus as noted above.
At the juvi stage, they're easy to tell apart by the presence of H. biocellatus tell-tale marker; the bold stripe below the eye and extending onto the body.

awesome - thank you!

 

[SantaMonica Verified Sponsor]

My newest desire:

 

[evolved]

Today I noticed from across the room the white mouth on my wrasse. At first I thought it was sand in its mouth but I got closer and noticed it's the coloring, or lack thereof, around it.

What's your substrate like? Abraded jaws like this is typically a sign of the substrate being too coarse, and I hate to tell you that the outlook is not good.

My newest desire:

Note its size relative to the monti polyps in the background. They're rarely, if ever, collected at this size; it's simply too hard to see, let alone catch, a 3/4" fish! :)

 

[Loki]

I have special grade sand from Carib sea. None of the other wrasses have shown signs of this.

It is still swimming around acting like it's eating.

I'll have to look up the sand to get the exact size of it.

As always I appreciate your input.

Edit: it's 1.0mm to 2.0mm grain

 

[evolved]

That should be plenty fine enough.

Not sure what to pin it on then. Has it been aggressively chasing its reflection at all?

 

[Loki]

I did notice it was going after the glass more than just nipping pods off of it. So maybe that's what it was doing.

 

[evolved]

The risk (and fear) at this point is infection. The tissue can heal back over the jaws, but typically it gets infected once abraded and then it's all downhill from there.