blue gudgeon differences?

[accordsirh22]

whats the difference between the ones with the yellow tail and the ones with the blue tail? sexually dimorphic? different locale? different subspecies? no one knows?

i couldnt seem to find any info online regarding this.

thanks guys

[Sk8r]

Well, I think the blue tails must be more common, since I've never seen the other. Wonder if it's a cross with a barred or the like.

[SDguy]

INteresting that both FishBase and LiveAquaria describe them as having yellow tails... no mention of anything but.

[accordsirh22]

i dont think its a cross, they look identical aside from the outer color of the tail. i have both blues and bars. and we get about 50/50 in each shipment, blue/yellow tails.

where in LA did you see yellow tail?
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1636+1694&pcatid=1694
the pic is blue tailed and i saw no mention of yellow

[SDguy]

i dont think its a cross, they look identical aside from the outer color of the tail. i have both blues and bars. and we get about 50/50 in each shipment, blue/yellow tails.

where in LA did you see yellow tail?
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1636+1694&pcatid=1694
the pic is blue tailed and i saw no mention of yellow

My bad, WWM, not LA.

[Triggerfish]

do u have them now.. the pair I had hid way too much, wondering if that is normal for them.. didn't have anything that would have bothered them.. don't see them around much.

[accordsirh22]

i got 2 more on friday. the main two still come out virtually all the time, they school with 1 of my 2 bar gobies. 1 of the new two gudgeons has joined them and the remaining one bar goby and one (new) blue gudgeon are still hiding on the other side of the tank. i plan to add at least 2 more gudgeons and 4 more bar gobies.

this shipment also had about 50/50 blue to yellow tailed gudgeons in it. i got 1 more of each so i am at 2 blue and 2 yellow tailed. still no idea why the difference lol

[accordsirh22]

that being said, it initially took a loooooooooooong time for my first pair to come out into the open at all. mostly on account of my fiji devil damsel who mean mugged any new fish lol. but he has since been moved to the fowler tank where his other damsel brethren reside

the ones at the store always hide, cept when being fed. but its pretty high traffic so im sure they are spooked all the time. however mine are out more than they hide

[Greymalkin]

Has anyone had an experience in which a blue gudgeon isn't really blue when introduced? I got a pair, but the seller said they would turn blue the next day.

[accordsirh22]

yea, when they come in they are clear/white/shiny/grey. stress coloration

[shesacharmer]

My experience has been thus: I got two small ones from the lfs and they both died in QT. I got two more and one died in QT. All four of these were yellow tailed. The one remaining survivor lays around on the bottom of the tank. It does eat it but seldom swims. I ordered two more from LA and they were MUCH larger blue tails. They arrived grey but blued up within a day or two, survived QT and went promptly into the rocks where they remained sight unseen for weeks. I had to pull all my fish due to Ich and lo and behold they were all still alive after never having been seen for weeks. They have been in QT now for 24 days and have become totally social. It's really nice to see them out and about. The small one still prefers laying around to being active the bum.

[accordsirh22]

you need to have more than 2-3 for them to be comfortable and out. mine didnt start hanging out in the open til i have 8 or so and 6-8 zebra dartfish as well (they all shoal together) any time i had 1-3 or even upwards of 6, they had a strong tendency to stay hidden, even during feeding time. they are a very skittish fish. but as you said, i could go weeks without seeing them, then at night i would catch a glimpse of them lol