RC Marine Fishes FAQ - Page 3

jacob.morgan78 · 10/04/2011, 08:15 PM

Feeding would be a great issue to discuss here or at least in its own sticky...

Very nice thread btw

LONGATTO · 02/26/2012, 09:26 PM

still waiting for the wrasse and dart fish sections

snorvich · 03/03/2012, 05:26 PM

Fairy and flasher Wrasses

Fairy Wrasses belong to the family Labridae. They are relatively small, and most species are both sexually dimorphic and dichromatic. Fairy wrasses usually occur in large groups in the wild often with a variety of intermingled species. These fish are planktivores. The coloration of juveniles and females is often very similar which makes it difficult to determine what species you have in some cases. Most species (with some exceptions that are highly aggressive) are ideally suited to the home aquarium although they will do best if housed with a male and multiple females of the same species. They are not compatible with other small planktivores such as basslets or dottybacks and can often intimidate firefish. Best if fed multiple times per day. Those whose body coloration is blue based lose the most coloration absent a female, and when illuminated under very intense lighting. When kept as a harem, they will display nuptial colors which can, under proper circumstances become semi-permanent.

Q.: Are fairy and flasher wrasses different?
A.: Yes. Flasher wrasses are a member of the genus Paracheilinus and there are 16 currently identified. Fairy wrasses are a member of the genus Cirrhilabrus. There are about 50 currently identified with more coming along frequently.

Q.: Are the personalities of all fairy wrasses the same?
A.: No, some are docile, some are very aggressive. In general, the females are more aggressive than the males. The more aggressive ones such as C. scottorum may eventually become intolerant of other fairy and flasher wrasses. More often though, you can mix and match fairy and flasher wrasses with no problem. The best way to introduce new ones is using an an acrylic acclimation chamber or with the use of a divider to section off a portion of the aquarium.

Q.: Do you need sand for fairy and flasher wrasses?
A.: No. They create a mucous cocoon when they sleep.

Q.: Do you need to have a female along with the male?
A.: No, but the "blue group" (those whose body tends to be blue based) tends to lose more coloration absent a female than does the "red group".

Q.: Can I keep two male fairy wrasses of the same species together?
A.: Generally no, except in very large tanks as they will fight. Also, in general two male fairy wrasses of similar size, coloration, and body shape can be problematic. The same is not true for flasher wrasses.

Q.: What kind of acclimation is required for fairy wrasses?
A.: Temperature acclimate, SG acclimate, and socially acclimate by floating new arrivals in a breeder cup to dispel aggression. All fish should be quarantined and treated if necessary.

Q.: Will fairy and flasher wrasses jump?
A.: Yes. Not a question of IF but WHEN, and even in covered aquariums, they can also find their way into overflow boxes in reef ready displays.

Q.: Will egg crate keep them in?
A.: No, you need quarter inch holes or a sealed tank.

Q.: What are the rarest fairy wrasses?
A.: In the USA, C. earlei, C. johnsoni, and C. lanceolatus "types" are considered rare in the aquarium trade.

Q.: Do all males lose coloration?
A.: No. If you have females, the male coloration should remain constant and if you are lucky you will observe breeding behavior

Q.: What is a terminal male/supermale?
A.: A terminal male cannot revert to being a female. These are also called supermales.

snorvich · 03/03/2012, 05:31 PM

Dartfish

Dartfish are characterized by their bright colors and elongated bodies. Dartfish make a great addition to a peaceful saltwater community or reef aquarium but since they are easily intimidated there can be no aggressive tank mates. Putting them in a smaller aquarium with a pair of clownfish may not turn out well in the longer run. They require an aquarium with plenty of hiding spots and at least 2 inches of substrate for burrowing. Dartfish are prolific jumpers, so a tight-fitting canopy on the aquarium is a must. Egg crate, specifically will not keep them in.

The Purple Firefish, also known as the Decorated Firefish, Purple Dartfish, Decorated Dartfish, or Flame Firefish, was first discovered in the Indo-west-Pacific Ocean in 1973 by Randall and Allen. The colorful body base is varied degrees of yellow to white, and deep shades of purple which begin at the head and ends with maroon-tipped fins.

This fish can be housed in small aquaria, even as small as 10 gallons or larger aquarium with plenty of loose coral rubble as part of the aquascape, and a tight-fitting lid to prevent it from jumping out of the tank. It will rarely become aggressive towards other fish, but is territorial, and will fight with its own kind unless they are a mated pair.

One of my favorite dartfish, the Purple Firefish will feed mostly on prey suspended in the water column, but will pick food off the substrate. Its varied diet should consist of chopped or shaved seafood, frozen food preparations for carnivores, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp. The vibrant coloring will fade if not fed a vitamin-enriched diet including cyclopeeze.

Dartfish are planktivores and will eat finally chopped meaty foods, cyclopeeze, etc. They should not be housed with fish that can/will eat them, nor should they be combined with fish that will intimidate them such as certain wrasses.

snorvich · 03/03/2012, 05:39 PM

Dottybacks

Dottybacks, also known as Pseudochromis, are brightly colored, exceptionally gorgeous but intensely aggressive fish that reach a size of about three inches. Since they are small and very hardy aquarium specimens that adjust well to captivity, there is a temptation for new aquarists to add them as their first "spectacular" fish. This is a mistake. Due to their aggressive nature, especially in a smallish tank, this will often preclude the addition of additional fish later on Despite their relative smallish size, we recommend putting them only in significantly large tanks where their aggression will be dissipated on a variety of fish. They are totally incompatible with fairy or flasher wrasses or other wrasses of a similar size. They have been known to go after fish considerably larger than they are. The least aggressive dottyback is Pseudochromis fridmani.

Dottybacks feed on plankton, small crustaceans, worms and will accept most prepared foods, especially meaty foods. The aquarium should include a well-sealed lid, and plenty of rockwork and hiding places as they tend to be somewhat cryptic. Only one species should be maintained in an aquarium.

gamecockfan803 · 04/06/2012, 08:41 PM

Excellent reading alot of good Q&As every beginner should stop by this forum

volivier · 04/30/2012, 11:20 PM

Triggers? I've seen a nice sps tank with a pink tail trigger, would love info on the triggers that are reef safe...if you believe they are?

Finsky · 05/01/2012, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snorvich

Dottybacks

Dottybacks, also known as Pseudochromis, are brightly colored, exceptionally gorgeous but intensely aggressive fish that reach a size of about three inches. Since they are small and very hardy aquarium specimens that adjust well to captivity, there is a temptation for new aquarists to add them as their first "spectacular" fish. This is a mistake. Due to their aggressive nature, especially in a smallish tank, this will often preclude the addition of additional fish later on Despite their relative smallish size, we recommend putting them only in significantly large tanks where their aggression will be dissipated on a variety of fish. They are totally incompatible with fairy or flasher wrasses or other wrasses of a similar size. They have been known to go after fish considerably larger than they are. The least aggressive dottyback is Pseudochromis fridmani.

Dottybacks feed on plankton, small crustaceans, worms and will accept most prepared foods, especially meaty foods. The aquarium should include a well-sealed lid, and plenty of rockwork and hiding places as they tend to be somewhat cryptic. Only one species should be maintained in an aquarium.

I have a full sized Splendid Dottyback 4" which runs the length of my five foot tank by appearing and dissappearing into the live rock. He will sometimes swim out front. He is not to be triffled with although he rarely goes after other fish. He was put into the tank about a year ago and is one of my most beautiful fish.

I have had a trio of Zebra Dartfish about 4" long for nine months. They were very shy at first and then started to appear at feediing time and would then dart into their hole in the live rock. They like vitamin soaked mysis and brine shrimp and Ocean Nutrition one and Two flakes.

BangkokMatt · 07/18/2012, 10:19 AM

I am pleased to see this post still stickied.loads of great info here.

snorvich · 07/18/2012, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by volivier

Triggers? I've seen a nice sps tank with a pink tail trigger, would love info on the triggers that are reef safe...if you believe they are?

When I get some time, I will prepare one on triggers. "Reef safe" might be an overstatement but "coral safe" is a different issue. Some triggers are hyper aggressive, but some are only moderately so.

Azasb · 09/09/2012, 07:43 PM

Great information!

jdnidle · 10/12/2012, 12:33 PM

I know this is an older thread, but there is a lot of good information here.
Thank you for the information.

03/03/2012, 05:26 PM	#53
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Flatlander Posts: 25,954 Blog Entries: 27	Fairy and flasher Wrasses Fairy Wrasses belong to the family Labridae. They are relatively small, and most species are both sexually dimorphic and dichromatic. Fairy wrasses usually occur in large groups in the wild often with a variety of intermingled species. These fish are planktivores. The coloration of juveniles and females is often very similar which makes it difficult to determine what species you have in some cases. Most species (with some exceptions that are highly aggressive) are ideally suited to the home aquarium although they will do best if housed with a male and multiple females of the same species. They are not compatible with other small planktivores such as basslets or dottybacks and can often intimidate firefish. Best if fed multiple times per day. Those whose body coloration is blue based lose the most coloration absent a female, and when illuminated under very intense lighting. When kept as a harem, they will display nuptial colors which can, under proper circumstances become semi-permanent. Q.: Are fairy and flasher wrasses different? A.: Yes. Flasher wrasses are a member of the genus Paracheilinus and there are 16 currently identified. Fairy wrasses are a member of the genus Cirrhilabrus. There are about 50 currently identified with more coming along frequently. Q.: Are the personalities of all fairy wrasses the same? A.: No, some are docile, some are very aggressive. In general, the females are more aggressive than the males. The more aggressive ones such as C. scottorum may eventually become intolerant of other fairy and flasher wrasses. More often though, you can mix and match fairy and flasher wrasses with no problem. The best way to introduce new ones is using an an acrylic acclimation chamber or with the use of a divider to section off a portion of the aquarium. Q.: Do you need sand for fairy and flasher wrasses? A.: No. They create a mucous cocoon when they sleep. Q.: Do you need to have a female along with the male? A.: No, but the "blue group" (those whose body tends to be blue based) tends to lose more coloration absent a female than does the "red group". Q.: Can I keep two male fairy wrasses of the same species together? A.: Generally no, except in very large tanks as they will fight. Also, in general two male fairy wrasses of similar size, coloration, and body shape can be problematic. The same is not true for flasher wrasses. Q.: What kind of acclimation is required for fairy wrasses? A.: Temperature acclimate, SG acclimate, and socially acclimate by floating new arrivals in a breeder cup to dispel aggression. All fish should be quarantined and treated if necessary. Q.: Will fairy and flasher wrasses jump? A.: Yes. Not a question of IF but WHEN, and even in covered aquariums, they can also find their way into overflow boxes in reef ready displays. Q.: Will egg crate keep them in? A.: No, you need quarter inch holes or a sealed tank. Q.: What are the rarest fairy wrasses? A.: In the USA, C. earlei, C. johnsoni, and C. lanceolatus "types" are considered rare in the aquarium trade. Q.: Do all males lose coloration? A.: No. If you have females, the male coloration should remain constant and if you are lucky you will observe breeding behavior Q.: What is a terminal male/supermale? A.: A terminal male cannot revert to being a female. These are also called supermales. __________________ Warmest regards and best wishes, ~Steve~ It is my policy to not respond to those who ask questions not to learn but to be bellicose. Life is a series of decisions serially executed but collectively judged. "Not using a quarantine tank is like playing Russian roulette. Nobody wins the game, some people just get to play longer than others." - Anthony Calfo

03/03/2012, 05:31 PM	#54
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Flatlander Posts: 25,954 Blog Entries: 27	Dartfish Dartfish are characterized by their bright colors and elongated bodies. Dartfish make a great addition to a peaceful saltwater community or reef aquarium but since they are easily intimidated there can be no aggressive tank mates. Putting them in a smaller aquarium with a pair of clownfish may not turn out well in the longer run. They require an aquarium with plenty of hiding spots and at least 2 inches of substrate for burrowing. Dartfish are prolific jumpers, so a tight-fitting canopy on the aquarium is a must. Egg crate, specifically will not keep them in. The Purple Firefish, also known as the Decorated Firefish, Purple Dartfish, Decorated Dartfish, or Flame Firefish, was first discovered in the Indo-west-Pacific Ocean in 1973 by Randall and Allen. The colorful body base is varied degrees of yellow to white, and deep shades of purple which begin at the head and ends with maroon-tipped fins. This fish can be housed in small aquaria, even as small as 10 gallons or larger aquarium with plenty of loose coral rubble as part of the aquascape, and a tight-fitting lid to prevent it from jumping out of the tank. It will rarely become aggressive towards other fish, but is territorial, and will fight with its own kind unless they are a mated pair. One of my favorite dartfish, the Purple Firefish will feed mostly on prey suspended in the water column, but will pick food off the substrate. Its varied diet should consist of chopped or shaved seafood, frozen food preparations for carnivores, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp. The vibrant coloring will fade if not fed a vitamin-enriched diet including cyclopeeze. Dartfish are planktivores and will eat finally chopped meaty foods, cyclopeeze, etc. They should not be housed with fish that can/will eat them, nor should they be combined with fish that will intimidate them such as certain wrasses. __________________ Warmest regards and best wishes, ~Steve~ It is my policy to not respond to those who ask questions not to learn but to be bellicose. Life is a series of decisions serially executed but collectively judged. "Not using a quarantine tank is like playing Russian roulette. Nobody wins the game, some people just get to play longer than others." - Anthony Calfo

03/03/2012, 05:39 PM	#55
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Flatlander Posts: 25,954 Blog Entries: 27	Dottybacks Dottybacks, also known as Pseudochromis, are brightly colored, exceptionally gorgeous but intensely aggressive fish that reach a size of about three inches. Since they are small and very hardy aquarium specimens that adjust well to captivity, there is a temptation for new aquarists to add them as their first "spectacular" fish. This is a mistake. Due to their aggressive nature, especially in a smallish tank, this will often preclude the addition of additional fish later on Despite their relative smallish size, we recommend putting them only in significantly large tanks where their aggression will be dissipated on a variety of fish. They are totally incompatible with fairy or flasher wrasses or other wrasses of a similar size. They have been known to go after fish considerably larger than they are. The least aggressive dottyback is Pseudochromis fridmani. Dottybacks feed on plankton, small crustaceans, worms and will accept most prepared foods, especially meaty foods. The aquarium should include a well-sealed lid, and plenty of rockwork and hiding places as they tend to be somewhat cryptic. Only one species should be maintained in an aquarium. __________________ Warmest regards and best wishes, ~Steve~ It is my policy to not respond to those who ask questions not to learn but to be bellicose. Life is a series of decisions serially executed but collectively judged. "Not using a quarantine tank is like playing Russian roulette. Nobody wins the game, some people just get to play longer than others." - Anthony Calfo

04/30/2012, 11:20 PM	#57
volivier Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 333	Triggers? I've seen a nice sps tank with a pink tail trigger, would love info on the triggers that are reef safe...if you believe they are? __________________ Valerie 224 gallon acrylic, 2 6100.10 tunze, 80 gal. sump, octopus extreme 300 skimmer, uv 25IL, 2 250w mini-lumenbright & 400 watt lumenarc Current Tank Info: 224 acrylic, 80 gallon custom sump, reef octopus skimmer, lifereef calcium reactor, vho actinics and 250 watt MH lumenarc

07/18/2012, 10:19 AM	#59
BangkokMatt Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Krung Thep Posts: 3,169	I am pleased to see this post still stickied.loads of great info here. __________________ I've spent a lot of money on booze, women and fish. The rest I just squandered. Current Tank Info: 150g sps Reef (now FOWLR after a devastating crash due to chiller) , 2x400w MH (Icecap ballast, Lumenmax 2, Reeflux 12k SE), Deltec AP701, Grotech Tec III, Chiller, 2 x Tunze 6101, 1 x 6205 (+ m/c), bla bla

10/04/2011, 08:15 PM	#51
jacob.morgan78 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Farmville, VA Posts: 1,108	Feeding would be a great issue to discuss here or at least in its own sticky... Very nice thread btw

02/26/2012, 09:26 PM	#52
LONGATTO Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 57	still waiting for the wrasse and dart fish sections

04/06/2012, 08:41 PM	#56
gamecockfan803 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 39	Excellent reading alot of good Q&As every beginner should stop by this forum

09/09/2012, 07:43 PM	#61
Azasb Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 22	Great information!

10/12/2012, 12:33 PM	#62
jdnidle Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 29	I know this is an older thread, but there is a lot of good information here. Thank you for the information.