A new Cirrhilabrus from Tonga [Archive] - Reef Central Online Community

H.Tanaka

07/02/2007, 05:50 AM

This is the new comer from Tonga. An undescribed species of Cirrhilabrus that ranges Tonga and Fiji.

It is similar to C. bathyphilus from Coral Sea, but male has an outstanding extended spinous portion from the first dorsal fin. Also the dorsal fin with a yellow area.

The female is orange overall with narrow lines on side.

The pair came from Tonga last week and the male is 8cm, and female 5cm. They are now eating well and doing very well together with some ten other species of Cirrhilabrus, including C. marjorie without any apparent trouble.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/122564NM8cm.jpg
male, 8cm

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/122564NF5cm.jpg
female, 5cm

Gary Majchrzak

07/02/2007, 06:03 AM

It's very kind of you to share this info and these photos, Dr. Tanaka. Thank you.

Fairy Wrassler

07/02/2007, 06:35 AM

As always Hiroyuki, stunning photos of a stunning fish.

I will be taking better photos soon when I buy the new camera that I have my eye on. After I buy the new skimmers for the store. And the new display tanks. And the new sump for the coral system.

Come to think of it, don't expect better photos from me anytime soon.

Cheers,
FW

blface

07/02/2007, 11:11 AM

Awesome pics doc as usual!!! I lost my pair the next day to parasites.:( I'm waiting for the supplier to replace them when they get another shipment from Tonga. Hopefully it's sooner than later.

DeltecRules

07/02/2007, 06:46 PM

How much would a pair cost?

triggerfish1976

07/02/2007, 09:15 PM

I have seen them in the $250-$350 range for a pair.

The Beaut

07/02/2007, 10:44 PM

I thought it was called a Tonga Flame Wrassehttp://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/THEBEAUT1/june3007047.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/THEBEAUT1/june1507090.jpg

H.Tanaka

07/03/2007, 01:37 AM

Many thanks, all guys.

I once kept a young male, 6cm from Fiji without the prolongation on D fin. I got the pair at the cost of some US $450,-.

Yes, I will wait for your nice pics, FairyWrassler.

blface, I hope you to get better specimens. Good luck !

The Beaut, your fish and pix with a great background are nice, and thanks. It often is called "Tonga Fairy Wrasse" but it occurs also in Fiji, so it should be changed someday.

The Beaut

07/03/2007, 07:12 AM

Thanks, always great pics and info Dr Tanaka

H.Tanaka

07/03/2007, 07:23 PM

The photo was taken on the day of arrival. The male exhibited more yellow on body.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/122564Ma8cm.jpg

LargeAngels

07/16/2007, 07:53 AM

MarineAquatics.net has a pair for $150.00

http://justrarefish.com/assets/images/flame-wrasse-7-2007.jpg

H.Tanaka

07/20/2007, 01:09 AM

Oh it's a wonderful price ! In any shop in Japan it costs at least US$400,- for a pair.

bradleyj

07/31/2007, 10:37 AM

I just received my pair today, both in great shape and are acclimating now. Will have pictures soon.

ndas2976

07/31/2007, 10:57 AM

liveaquaria has 1. Here is the link.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?ddid=24238&siteid=20

bradleyj

08/02/2007, 12:14 PM

Finally got one good picture of the male. They are more stunning in person.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/tileman/225%20g%20%20reef/100_4381.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/tileman/225%20g%20%20reef/clup.jpg

LargeAngels

08/02/2007, 12:19 PM

Nice. Were did you get them?

bradleyj

08/02/2007, 12:24 PM

Divers Den @ Live Aquaria. I was lucky enough to be surfing through their site when they came up.

huskerreef

08/02/2007, 09:43 PM

they are definetely more yellowish in person, very nice colors. I picked up a male from liveaquaria when they posted the first male and had to talk myself out of getting the others when I saw them come up.

fishsoldseprtly

08/03/2007, 03:36 AM

yea thosenew "tonga flames" are really nice, I have to look into a pair myself

gasman059

08/03/2007, 07:34 AM

I got myself a pair a few weeks back the feamle is MIA
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n320/gasman059/IMG_5561.jpg[/IMG]
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n320/gasman059/IMG_5543.jpg[/IMG]

Benny Z

08/03/2007, 11:12 AM

this guy looks especially nice. ...but $300?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?ddid=24476&siteid=20

gasman059

08/03/2007, 12:25 PM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10474285#post10474285 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Benny Z
this guy looks especially nice. ...but $300?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?ddid=24476&siteid=20
Paid half of that for my pair locally.,

mwwhite

09/11/2007, 07:06 PM

How is everyone's Tonga's doing? Just wondering since this fella is so new to the scene. Can't find alot of info on him. We have a male, acting a little weird so not sure there's a problem or if it's just his nature.

Have had him a couple weeks, was eating like a pig (mysis and a variety of frozen food). He hasn't eaten in the last 3 feedings now (daily). When he swims it is more in a vertical position (tail seems heavy). Also find him laying on the bottom (as if sleeping) but then gets up and swims around. Seems to be hungry because during feeding he will rush over but not actually eat anything.

Not sure if there is a problem so I thought I would ask those that have one or two.

Thanks and here's a pic:

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/7472/img0363pf4.jpg

mwwhite

09/12/2007, 05:16 AM

Anyone have any ideas?

snorvich

09/12/2007, 06:36 AM

Well if it truly a flame wrasse cousin, then keep in mind that male flame wrasses are somewhat delicate and often do not ship well. I am not sure if this is a decompression issue or something else. I have had better luck keeping male flames if I allow a female to change into a male. I somewhere seem to recall that they don't like bright lights but I could easily be mistaken here. Try mysis soaked in garlic.

LargeAngels

09/12/2007, 07:24 AM

snorvich: I've experienced the same thing with male flames.

mwwhite: Not a good sign. Did you quarentine the fish? Did you treat it with anything? What about other fish in the tank? I would remove it, do a FW dip and see if anything falls off (flukes or velvet.) Keep it in a QT tank for observations/treatment.

mwwhite

09/12/2007, 11:51 AM

Thanks for the reply's. No we didn't QT (don't yell)... we got him from one of the higher class (and we pay for it) LFS's here locally - they QT all of their fish/coral and don't put in the population for sale until they prove healthy, sometimes up to several weeks.

Other fish in the tank -- two clowns, a blue reef chromis, three green chromies, a LaMark's angel, an orchid dotyback and a bangaii cardinal. The only one who DID dart after the Tonga was the dotyback but that has since sufficed.

He doesn't look bad at all.... nothing noticeable anyway just acting a little strange (sleeping on the bottom) but more worrisome is not eating.

Going to give the LFS a call to see what they say also.

Thanks again!

LargeAngels

09/12/2007, 01:11 PM

mwwhite: Those are not good signs for a wrasse that has adjusted to the tank and has been eating for weeks.

Philwd

09/12/2007, 02:07 PM

I had a flasher do the exact same thing. I believe he had internal parasites that slowly starved him; he slowly got real thin. About 2 weeks after he started the tail down swimming he passed away. I tried treating with praziquantel but to no avail. He was QT'd originally but didn't develop symptoms for ~ 3 months. He stopped eating too but I didn't notice right away because he would swim to the food. But I finally realized he was swimming through it but not eating...

mwwhite

09/12/2007, 03:40 PM

Yeah this is exactly what he does is swims to the food - but he doesn't eat.

I'm setting up QT now -- in he goes -- the LFS said the orchid dotyback may be terrorizing him while we are at work too. He has given us some vitamins to soak his food in and a broadspectrum antibiotic to use just in case there is a sickness.

Looks like we'll be busy tonite! Going to do everything we can to nurse him back to health. Will keep you posted if you'd like.

snorvich

09/12/2007, 05:10 PM

snorvich

09/12/2007, 05:11 PM

Dotybacks and fairy and flasher wrasses don't mix very well. However if your LFS quarantined him in a "system" that shares water, most do by the way, then it was not really a valid quarantine. As LargeAngels says, change of behavior is more often than not problematical.

By the way, if he swims to the food and does not eat, he may be smelling the food but be unable to see it. Does he pick and miss?

mwwhite

09/12/2007, 05:53 PM

Got everything set up for him but I can't net him...... arghhhh - been trying 30 mins now. There is so much rock, corals, nooks and crannies he runs in to then sits on the bottom. Doesn't look good - he didn't eat again when I fed the tank - hoping this would bring him out -- it didn't.

Do understand about the shared water though. This LFS has a separate room with several tanks just for QT all fed by different water. I hear ya though - we should have QT'd him ourselves. I knew that would happen one day.

I have a feeling it is the dotyback -- as i was trying to net the tonga - the dotyback charged out of rock at him and i believe this time actually made contact with him.

More fun will be to try and net the dotyback! omg

snorvich

09/12/2007, 07:04 PM

Best way to get the dotyback is a fish trap. Netting him, no way.

mwwhite

09/13/2007, 04:53 AM

Fish trap? Can you elaborate? We just can't dismantle this tank. I also am 99% sure it's the dotyback terrorizing the Tonga. As i was watching the tank VERY close last night - that darn dotyback would shoot out like a flash of lightning at the Tonga and either chase him or head butt him. I'm afraid I'm running out of time with the Tonga.....

I need to get them both out! I've tried turning lights out, tried luring them with food.... thought about the technique for catching crabs but that sure won't work for these guys.

Any suggestions would sure be appreciated.

ACBlinky

09/13/2007, 05:24 AM

This might not be feasible with such a large tank, but I've used this technique with a 65g before - PITA, but it works for systems that just can't be torn apart.

Line up some Rubbermaids, enough to hold all the tank's water. Get a few hoses, start siphoning water into the bins. Don't worry about the rock & coral, they'll be fine out of water for half an hour or so, and if you drain fast enough it might not even be that long.

When the water level is very low, dig a hole in the sand in a front corner and continue to drain. If this is the lowest spot in the tank, the fish will congregate there (make sure there aren't little caves under the rockwork, if there are, they'll possibly end up there instead).

Once the water level is sufficiently low, and most or all of the fish are in the 'pool' you created, pull out the ones you need, and start refilling - powerheads work well for this.

As I said, it might not work for such a large tank. It would be a huge undertaking for my 90g, and a 150g might be impossible to drain this way, but I thought I'd mention it. Best of luck with the wrasse, they're just stunning. I hope you manage to remove the dotty without too much effort as well - they're beautiful, but they're terrors. I'd use the dotty as an excuse to set up a nano, see if you can't get something fun out of this lousy experience ;)

LargeAngels

09/13/2007, 06:30 AM

Try a night ambush with a flashlight while they are sleeping.

snorvich

09/13/2007, 06:47 AM

I have done what ACBlinky suggests and it is very effective. However there are acrylic fish traps for sale (various places have them) which make it a whole lot easier. In your case, you are probably out of time so I suggest doing what ACBlinky suggests. Once a fish is intimidated to the point of not eating, it is very difficult to reverse.

mwwhite

09/13/2007, 07:35 AM

Great suggestions. Thanks so much. I think my husband would have a heart attack if we had to drain the water..... but we do have to do something. I like the night ambush but the little booger sleeps in the rocks... what a nightmare. I'll check in to some traps.

Good news though I did get the tonga out this morning. He was so weak i just scooped him up after doty bad guy chased him out. He is in the qt -- we are checking him every 10-15 mins to make sure he stays upright. He wants to flop over now. I hope it's not too late - we're holding a candlelight vigil tonite -- just kidding but boy i feel bad. I have put the broadspectrum antibiotic in the QT tank as well as some mysis soaked in vitamins.

Will start doing 50% water changes if he survives the day and plan for the extraction of butthead.

Philwd

09/13/2007, 12:08 PM

Try adding an air pump to increase airartion. Stressed fish use more oxygen.

snorvich

09/13/2007, 12:12 PM

I got my fishtrap on ebay. However I believe Dr F &S probably has them and Marine Depot also has them. Good to have around for catch mantis shrimp as well. Good luck with butthead and even better luck with the flame wrasse.

mwwhite

09/13/2007, 01:00 PM

Yup I have an airstone in there as well as the HOB filter.... with some PVC too. My husband and I have been trying to keep him straight so the water goes through his gills normally. He's in pretty grave condition. If he makes it through the day I will be surprised.

I could kick myself for not acting at least one day sooner.

Will have to do something about butthead. We can't have a terrorist in there. He's an 8th generation tank bred fridmani and they "told" us (not the LFS we deal with now) that most of that terrorizing has been bred out of him. Yeah right, until we put someone in there that looks similar to him.

I'm NOT happy..... but thanks for the encouragement. I'll keep ya posted.