Lost in the Wrasses! Rollercoaster of a Reef Build

[Slocke]

When was this? He is so cute! I see the boy is happy with the doggie!

Few years back. I was teaching and running HIV/AIDs seminars for PEPFAR (presidents emergency plan for AIDS relief). Luckily I got to pivot away from HIV and into animal conservation where I worked with some of the coolest animals in the world! Mostly just organizing camps so that kids out deep in the bush could come to conservation centers and learn about the animals they live alongside.
Then the pandemic happened and that plus visa issues meant I came back here but I got Dhingo home. (kittens aren't mine just fosters)

 

[Petcrazyson]

Few years back. I was teaching and running HIV/AIDs seminars for PEPFAR (presidents emergency plan for AIDS relief). Luckily I got to pivot away from HIV and into animal conservation where I worked with some of the coolest animals in the world! Mostly just organizing camps so that kids out deep in the bush could come to conservation centers and learn about the animals they live alongside.
Then the pandemic happened and that plus visa issues meant I came back here but I got Dhingo home. (kittens aren't mine just fosters)

I’m sure that experience is something you never will forget. Did the Cheetah cubs have names?

 

[Slocke]

I’m sure that experience is something you never will forget. Did the Cheetah cubs have names?

Yep!
Shy, Teja, and PC (problem child). My old profile pic was of Jaya.

 

[i cant think]

Thank you!

Here’s a 15 Y/O Siganus magnificus. He’s around 6 inches so this species really doesn’t get giant in captivity unlike the Lo.

 

[Petcrazyson]

Here’s a 15 Y/O Siganus magnificus. He’s around 6 inches so this species really doesn’t get giant in captivity unlike the Lo.

Why you gotta do me like that man. Mag is winning by 76% lol

 

[Petcrazyson]

Yep!
Shy, Teja, and PC (problem child). My old profile pic was of Jaya.

That’s how I could remember who you were before by looking at the cheetah pic

 

[Slocke]

Why you gotta do me like that man. Mag is winning by 76% lol

My favorite thing about the mag is the red dorsal fins.

 

[i cant think]

My favorite thing about the mag is the red dorsal fins.

Your guy shows that red so much better than mine does! This is a big reason I love the magnificent is due to that vibrant red dorsal.

 

[Petcrazyson]

So in short I should just get the Mag……

 

[Petcrazyson]

So I just came across this fish the Hooded Flame Fairy Wrasse and all the ones I find have the same name but different markings. Is it because they are from different waters? First time I heard about this fish. All pics are of males. (Does the first pic look a little overly saturated?)

 

[i cant think]

So I just came across this fish the Hooded Flame Fairy Wrasse and all the ones I find have the same name but different markings. Is it because they are from different waters? First time I heard about this fish. All pics are of males. (Does the first pic look a little overly saturated?)

I believe there are three species that go under the name ‘hooded flame fairy wrasse’ one is the Nahackyi which is the more common species, the Bathyphilus which is slightly more common but still not overly common and finally you have the newest discovered species that goes under this name, Cirrhilabrus efatensis. The most common one you’ll find is Cirrhilabrus nahackyi, then you’ll likely find Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus and finally Efatensis I believe is the rarest one that goes under this name. I cant remember exactly what differentiates the three.

 

[Petcrazyson]

I believe there are three species that go under the name ‘hooded flame fairy wrasse’ one is the Nahackyi which is the more common species, the Bathyphilus which is slightly more common but still not overly common and finally you have the newest discovered species that goes under this name, Cirrhilabrus efatensis. The most common one you’ll find is Cirrhilabrus nahackyi, then you’ll likely find Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus and finally Efatensis I believe is the rarest one that goes under this name. I cant remember exactly what differentiates the three.

So I’m looking at a couple of ReefBuilders sites about them and this is what I can conclude.

The cirrhilabrus cf. bathyphilus which is the first photo and the last photo, and the bathyphilus clade, the second photo, contains two members, one of which is very localized and endemic to a single island in Vanuatu (Éfaté Island); although it’s very likely it extends further north. This one is the first and third photo. It is currently known as Cirrhilabrus cf. bathyphilus. The type species, C. bathyphilus, or Clade, enjoys a larger range, spanning the Coral Sea and eastwards to Tanna Island of Vanuatu, and that one includes the second image and its variants. The two forms are mutually exclusive and do not overlap and are separated by only 141 miles of ocean between them. This presents one of the most unusual allopatric distributions of all the Cirrhilabrus species, in which two highly distinct phenotypes occur in such a narrow zone of separation within a single island chain. What forces might exist to act as a barrier between the two islands remains unclear, but it’s apparent for now that the two forms do not mix. The two phenotypes are very similar but can be differentiated based on the body coloration. Then the cirrhilabrus bathyphilus, being the regular one, or simply the “common” looks like some nahackyi variations and has multiple variations. The variations for the ”common” bathyphilus are considered by some to be “false” nahackyi. Then there is the true nahackyi which is the final bathyphilus group. Some of the common cirrhilabrus bathyphilus “false“ nahackyi‘s look like the variants of the true nahackyi but live in different waters. At the LFS, some and many of the bathyphilus group are confused and listed incorrectly, so it is up to us to figure out if the one at the LFS is the type we are looking for. Don’t always be put off by price as you never know if the cheap one or the expensive one may be the one you are looking for. Here are some pictures of the regular bathyphilus and the nahackyi with some variations.

cirrhilabrus bathyphilus (common)

cirrhilabrus bathyphilus (common) variant

false nahackyi (cirrhilabrus bathyphilus variant)

(True) Nahackyi

(True) Nahackyi

 

[i cant think]

I finally got a good photo of my Magnificus

So I’m looking at a couple of ReefBuilders sites about them and this is what I can conclude.

The cirrhilabrus cf. bathyphilus which is the first photo and the last photo, and the bathyphilus clade, the second photo, contains two members, one of which is very localized and endemic to a single island in Vanuatu (Éfaté Island); although it’s very likely it extends further north. This one is the first and third photo. It is currently known as Cirrhilabrus cf. bathyphilus. The type species, C. bathyphilus, or Clade, enjoys a larger range, spanning the Coral Sea and eastwards to Tanna Island of Vanuatu, and that one includes the second image and its variants. The two forms are mutually exclusive and do not overlap and are separated by only 141 miles of ocean between them. This presents one of the most unusual allopatric distributions of all the Cirrhilabrus species, in which two highly distinct phenotypes occur in such a narrow zone of separation within a single island chain. What forces might exist to act as a barrier between the two islands remains unclear, but it’s apparent for now that the two forms do not mix. The two phenotypes are very similar but can be differentiated based on the body coloration. Then the cirrhilabrus bathyphilus, being the regular one, or simply the “common” looks like some nahackyi variations and has multiple variations. The variations for the ”common” bathyphilus are considered by some to be “false” nahackyi. Then there is the true nahackyi which is the final bathyphilus group. Some of the common cirrhilabrus bathyphilus “false“ nahackyi‘s look like the variants of the true nahackyi but live in different waters. At the LFS, some and many of the bathyphilus group are confused and listed incorrectly, so it is up to us to figure out if the one at the LFS is the type we are looking for. Don’t always be put off by price as you never know if the cheap one or the expensive one may be the one you are looking for. Here are some pictures of the regular bathyphilus and the nahackyi with some variations.

cirrhilabrus bathyphilus (common)

cirrhilabrus bathyphilus (common) variant

false nahackyi (cirrhilabrus bathyphilus variant)

(True) Nahackyi

(True) Nahackyi

That is an interesting read, it’s a shame it doesn’t really cover Cirrhilabrus efatensis which is also very similar to both of these species.

 

[Petcrazyson]

I finally got a good photo of my Magnificus

Right about now I would say the Mag is winning 89% but last night I saw a HUGE Lo and the way the colors from the LED bounced off of it made look like a glowing pumpkin lol. It’s making it dang impossible for me to decide.

 

[i cant think]

Right about now I would say the Mag is winning 89% but last night I saw a HUGE Lo and the way the colors from the LED bounced off of it made look like a glowing pumpkin lol. It’s making it dang impossible for me to decide.

You know how to fix that right?

Upgrade time! Then you don’t have to pick one and instead grab both

 

[Petcrazyson]

You know how to fix that right?

Upgrade time! Then you don’t have to pick one and instead grab both

If only my wallet would agree.

 

[Petcrazyson]

You know how to fix that right?

Upgrade time! Then you don’t have to pick one and instead grab both

Yk that’s already in the works. I do though want to see how this tank ends up looking after my coral plans so I do want to wait a little. If I upgrade though idk if it would be big enough for 2 of them as it would only be round about 200gs. But my dream tank will definitely be big enough for 2 so don’t you worry

 

[Petcrazyson]

That is an interesting read, it’s a shame it doesn’t really cover Cirrhilabrus efatensis which is also very similar to both of these species.

It seems that the efatensis was ruled out to be just a variant of the cirrhilabrus cf. bathyphilus. But earlier in the article it said that still needed to be further evaluated.

 

[Nutramar Foods]

Now it’ even harder for me to decide on which Foxface. I’m scrolling up and now the nutramar fish food ad pops up and it’s like 8 Mags eating off of it. It’s telling me somethin. This a sign? Lol

 

[Petcrazyson]

Ok nutramar what do you guys think i should do? Also I’ve used your food once and I recommend