Let Me ID Your Wrasse!

[Wrassesngobies]

I think that Kwazulu should be a species, but Kuiter has species 3 as separate but I think it and Kwazulu are synonymous.

To me the the different Rubrimarginatus aren't distinct enough to warrant speciation.

I screwed up and mistyped. Long day at work. I meant the Social group. I make mistakes too. Dangit

 

[eatbreakfast]

I'm with Hunter on cf. rubriventralis.

 

[Wankell]

I have a male H. Biocellatus, it's a great fish. My YWG HATES him but since the YWG goes to bed first, the Biocellatus dives into his den to sleep right underneath him.

Yeah, his schedule is getting used to the tank, he burrows less early now and is still out for feedings when I get home from work. Smart fish, I just wish he had a tad more color!

 

[Wrassesngobies]

I love my biocellatus. She's transitioning to male and has these gold stripes when it goes by at an angle, and is getting blue in its face and striping on its tail. A model citizen in the tank.

Zac

 

[Jdmonealp]

Sold to me as a rubriventralis, which is what it looks like to me. My main question though, this one is to replace mine that went over my overflow and got stuck in my gate valve.... The old one was much larger, had the same red and sometimes orange coloring on the side.... But did not have the very long top fin like this one and very bright colors on the bottom fin as well. This ones top fin almost goes the length of the fish. My question is, why. What's the difference?

 

[evolved]

My question is, why. What's the difference?

Without a comparison pic, I cannot really say anything conclusive.

 

[Jdmonealp]

Here's the only reasonable pic I have of the other.

 

[Pete polyp]

 

[eatbreakfast]

Can't tell based off of that pic.

 

[evolved]

Here's the only reasonable pic I have of the other.

It was a transitional male, and had not yet fully developed into a terminal male. Eventually, it would have gotten the same coloration on the fins and the elongated dorsal spike.

 

[Jdmonealp]

Ah, cool. Thanks for the explanation! I wondered if that was the case. It was throwing me off that they both were sold as male, looked very similar, but very clear differences.

 

[Pete polyp]

Can't tell based off of that pic.

It's the very rare well cooked wrasse.

 

[evolved]

Ah, cool. Thanks for the explanation! I wondered if that was the case. It was throwing me off that they both were sold as male, looked very similar, but very clear differences.

There's also the chance the spiny rays in the dorsal fin had been injured at some point too, in which case it may have been forever absent.

It's the very rare well cooked wrasse.

Cirrhilabrus nolongerwithus
(sorry for your recent woes)

 

[Pete polyp]

The whole box came in doa. They put the heat packs directly on the bags for some reason.

 

[Tstanfill]

What is this one?

 

[eatbreakfast]

What is this one?

African Cirrhilabrus exquisitus, male.

 

[Jdmonealp]

At 13sec and 1:08
@evolved
Not sure where else to post this. The new social wrasse and the flame female have been flashing each other a lot. Since you are wrasse master I figured I'd ask you. What are they doing? Some courtship dance? They can't really mate since they are not the same correct?

Also, my other question when reading your other post about females turning make, would this keep the flame wrasse female since it appears to me that she is being submissive? Or would it happen faster because of the dominate male? (All theoretical of course)

 

[Jdmonealp]

Also, they do this behavior quite a bit, and for much longer, sometimes for 20-30 seconds. When I stand in front of the tank, they don't do it as often so it's hard to get a decent video of it

 

[saltyhog]

I'm guessing since they are about the same size and the other wrasses are much bigger they see each other as competition for their place in the pecking order. Nothing sexual about it. Fortunately we have some very good wrasse experts that will give us the for sure answer.

 

[eatbreakfast]

At 13sec and 1:08
@evolved
Not sure where else to post this. The new social wrasse and the flame female have been flashing each other a lot. Since you are wrasse master I figured I'd ask you. What are they doing? Some courtship dance? They can't really mate since they are not the same correct?

Also, my other question when reading your other post about females turning make, would this keep the flame wrasse female since it appears to me that she is being submissive? Or would it happen faster because of the dominate male? (All theoretical of course)

Though not directly asked on this one, I agree with saltyhohog on this, it is social flashing, and not very serious at all, and with more wrasses there is a greater chance of females transitioning into males.