Meet the most stunning tilefish without a name

[christinna77]

As many of you already know, I love tilefish! Yesterday I went a little off the deep end with this one. I dug through NOAA's archived Okeanos Explorer footage from the 2016 Mariana Islands expedition, downloaded the original Dive 19 videos, went through them and put together about two minutes of the best footage of this absolutely gorgeous undescribed tilefish.

Meet Hoplolatilus sp. A, an electric blue tilefish observed at Esmeralda Bank in the Mariana Islands at around 243-249 m (797-817 ft).

Only four individuals were documented during the dive, in water around 15.4-17°C (60-63°F). None were collected, so there still isn't a type specimen from the expedition. Almost 10 years later, a 2025 paper still listed it simply as Hoplolatilus sp. A, an apparently undescribed species.



Credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, EX1605L1 Dive 19, Esmeralda Bank, 2016.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

Would you like one along with a peppermint dwarf angel? I’m sure the community will start a fund. Crazy beautiful.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Alright, who is willing to start the bidding on getting this fish in their tank?

 

[i cant think]

As many of you already know, I love tilefish! Yesterday I went a little off the deep end with this one. I dug through NOAA's archived Okeanos Explorer footage from the 2016 Mariana Islands expedition, downloaded the original Dive 19 videos, went through them and put together about two minutes of the best footage of this absolutely gorgeous undescribed tilefish.

Meet Hoplolatilus sp. A, an electric blue tilefish observed at Esmeralda Bank in the Mariana Islands at around 243-249 m (797-817 ft).

Only four individuals were documented during the dive, in water around 15.4-17°C (60-63°F). None were collected, so there still isn't a type specimen from the expedition. Almost 10 years later, a 2025 paper still listed it simply as Hoplolatilus sp. A, an apparently undescribed species.



Credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, EX1605L1 Dive 19, Esmeralda Bank, 2016.

So, who’s going to get these first then?

 

[larrysaltisfun]

I will . how many YURPLES do I have to put up?

 

[christinna77]

Listen... this is one of the few times I regret not being disgustingly rich so I could fund an expedition there to look for it

Also, this tilefish lives really deep in cold waters, so I wonder how potential acclimation to warmer waters could work, or if I'd need a permanent chiller! I just hope someone goes back within my lifetime to get some more footage lol.

 

[i cant think]

Listen... this is one of the few times I regret not being disgustingly rich so I could fund an expedition there to look for it

Also, this tilefish lives really deep in cold waters, so I wonder how potential acclimation to warmer waters could work, or if I'd need a permanent chiller! I just hope someone goes back within my lifetime to get some more footage lol.

Oh for sure! I’ve seen some insane ways people keep Peppermints - most keep a dark/no light, cold water tank just for them.

This is how I kept my Multicolour whilst my 5 foot has been shut down - almost identical to how some people kept Peppermints, just in much colder temperatures. The rocks went right to the weir but I removed a decent chunk for my 180G 5’.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

I thought peppermint angels were in 1 or 2 Public aquaria only. Wow

 

[i cant think]

I thought peppermint angels were in 1 or 2 Public aquaria only. Wow

There’s been a couple surfaced for private aquaria - mainly over on the east in Asia. You’d be surprised as to how many are around, I believe RVS had a couple surface last year from memory.

 

[christinna77]

Peppermints are cool. I got to see one in the SF aquarium. I'd still rather pay that kind of money for a rare tilefish instead I've got someone trying to source a pastel/Randall's for me now.

 

[i cant think]

Peppermints are cool. I got to see one in the SF aquarium. I'd still rather pay that kind of money for a rare tilefish instead I've got someone trying to source a pastel/Randall's for me now.

Randall’s are stunning in person - Only seen them once or twice in the trade over here, but they’ve definitely made me consider them.

Also had cuniculus appear, but they were in at the same time as purpureus and oreni and so they lost a lot of their spotlight.

 

[christinna77]

Randall’s are stunning in person - Only seen them once or twice in the trade over here, but they’ve definitely made me consider them.

Also had cuniculus appear, but they were in at the same time as purpureus and oreni and so they lost a lot of their spotlight.

Yeah, I've just seen a footage of one, but it was beautiful!

I've considered cuniculus too. I think they're really underrated and don't get brought in as often as some of the others, at least here in Canada. If I see a QTed one available, I might grab one in the future though. And once I can upgrade to a larger tank, I sort of just wanna have them all lol. Those, along with a few nice wrasses in the mix = perfect tank!

 

[biophilia]

Peppermints are cool. I got to see one in the SF aquarium. I'd still rather pay that kind of money for a rare tilefish instead I've got someone trying to source a pastel/Randall's for me now.

I'm the caretaker of the peppermint angel at Steinhart. Glad you got to see her! Not sure how long ago you were there, but there's an equally rare Centropyge abei in the tank right next to it that most people overlook. We keep them at 71F and keep frosted window privacy film over the lid to keep light low.

 

[christinna77]

I'm the caretaker of the peppermint angel at Steinhart. Glad you got to see her! Not sure how long ago you were there, but there's an equally rare Centropyge abei in the tank right next to it that most people overlook. We keep them at 71F and keep frosted window privacy film over the lid to keep light low.

That's so cool! I was there back in January. I must admit I was very focused on the peppermint, and don't remember if I saw the abei now

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

As many of you already know, I love tilefish! Yesterday I went a little off the deep end with this one. I dug through NOAA's archived Okeanos Explorer footage from the 2016 Mariana Islands expedition, downloaded the original Dive 19 videos, went through them and put together about two minutes of the best footage of this absolutely gorgeous undescribed tilefish.

Meet Hoplolatilus sp. A, an electric blue tilefish observed at Esmeralda Bank in the Mariana Islands at around 243-249 m (797-817 ft).

Only four individuals were documented during the dive, in water around 15.4-17°C (60-63°F). None were collected, so there still isn't a type specimen from the expedition. Almost 10 years later, a 2025 paper still listed it simply as Hoplolatilus sp. A, an apparently undescribed species.



Credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, EX1605L1 Dive 19, Esmeralda Bank, 2016.

Nice looking fish!

Here is a bit of trivia: do you know what the two red lights are in the video?

They are two LED lasers, set exactly in parallel, at a known distance apart. These can be used to give a size reference for the fish.

I "stole" that idea and had written an article on how I used twin lasers to measure the length of fish in aquariums.

https://www.amazonasmagazine.com/2009/07/17/a-refinement-of-a-fish-length-estimation-method/

Just a case of "new to me", but not so new at all!

 

[Reef Jedi]

Wow that’s super cool! Thanks for sharing the montage!

 

[christinna77]

As many of you already know, I love tilefish! Yesterday I went a little off the deep end with this one. I dug through NOAA's archived Okeanos Explorer footage from the 2016 Mariana Islands expedition, downloaded the original Dive 19 videos, went through them and put together about two minutes of the best footage of this absolutely gorgeous undescribed tilefish.

Meet Hoplolatilus sp. A, an electric blue tilefish observed at Esmeralda Bank in the Mariana Islands at around 243-249 m (797-817 ft).

Only four individuals were documented during the dive, in water around 15.4-17°C (60-63°F). None were collected, so there still isn't a type specimen from the expedition. Almost 10 years later, a 2025 paper still listed it simply as Hoplolatilus sp. A, an apparently undescribed species.



Credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, EX1605L1 Dive 19, Esmeralda Bank, 2016.

Nice looking fish!

Here is a bit of trivia: do you know what the two red lights are in the video?

They are two LED lasers, set exactly in parallel, at a known distance apart. These can be used to give a size reference for the fish.

I "stole" that idea and had written an article on how I used twin lasers to measure the length of fish in aquariums.

https://www.amazonasmagazine.com/2009/07/17/a-refinement-of-a-fish-length-estimation-method/

Just a case of "new to me", but not so new at all!

Hah, I had the feeling it could be used to measure their sizes, very interesting. I'll give article some more read once I'm home today, thanks for sharing that!