Fish Identification

[Tanglefoot]

My wife just picked up a new fish this week and said the shop labled it as a Blue Nassau. She was under the impression it was a Tang, but we can not find it in any of our books, and it does not appear to have the usual bone in the tail fin. Attached is a link to a fairly decent photo. Any help would be appreciated http://photos.yahoo.com/[email protected]
BTW - It changes color from silvery to dark black pending its mood.

 

[LilFishInBigPond]

The picture is a rabbit fish, and from your description, yours sounds like one too.

 

[Tanglefoot]

Can anyone give me the scientific or common name of this particular species?

 

[LilFishInBigPond]

Rabbitfish (Family Siganidae) is a common name, just lacking a description, such as scribbled or fox face. I can't Id that particular fish, but I can point you in a good direction. Try typing in rabbitfish (1 word) in common name box on this site :

http://www.fishbase.org/search.cfm

Try tangs too, its tough to say. Does the fish flash(flare) its dorsal spine alot? Is the upper lip extrude over lower (like a rabbit)? I have very little experience with rabbitfish, other than the scribbled rabbitfish. It cleaned out a HUGE macro population (cleaned 1,000g system clean, wanting more!). He was captured, and sold to a doctor who once did research on the posion in their dorsal spines. Don't get poked, it hurts bad.

 

[LilFishInBigPond]

check this too:

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19986

PM the author of that, he'd probably know.

 

[Tanglefoot]

Yes he does have a tendancy to flare his dorsal and the upper lip is just slightly overextended from the lower lip. I will try you resources and see what comes up, and thanks a million for the help.

 

[AF Founder]

Can anyone give me the scientific or common name of this particular species?

According to Greg Schiemer:

"Looks like a juvenile Vlamingi tang."

 

[LilFishInBigPond]

Terry, do juvenile Vlamingi tangs have the pronounced upper lip? With the lip and the fin flaring coupled with quick change of color, I'd say its pointing to a rabbit rather than a Tang. Definitly could be wrong though.

 

[GSchiemer]

It's a little tough to tell from the picture, but I'm pretty confident that the fish in question is a juvenile Vlamingi tang (Naso vlamingii). Rabbit fish have a more elongated body. Unlike most Acanthurids, Vlamingi tangs are mid-water planktivores and will not graze from the substrate. Therefore, they need to be fed a few times per day in order to maintain body weight. One other note: Vlamingii tangs grow quickly and reach an adult length approaching two feet!

Greg Schiemer

 

[GSchiemer]

I just figured out that I could blow the picture up. I'm now able to see what appears to be a "scalpel" on the caudal peduncle. This would confirm my ID as a Vlamingii tang.

Greg Schiemer

 

[Chucker]

To add to Greg's ID, have a look at this Fishbase page. The picture there is a dead ringer for the Tanglefoot's fish.

 

[Tanglefoot]

I can't tell you all how grateful I am for the help, thanks ! I have found a few pictures from the fishbase that lead me to believe it might be a Bluespine Unicorn. There is a picture that is VERY close to my fish. I will try to get a few better pictures on the web by Saturday. I REALLY like this fish as he is very personable and I want to be able to attend to his needs. He likes schooling with my mated pair of Pink Skunk Clowns for company. He takes pellets very well but likes to feed on my MacroAlgae. Thanks Again !

 

[Tanglefoot]

Well I may have spoken to soon, I replied before I went to the Fish Base photo Chucker refered me to. It does look like a ringer, but I will still get some more photos up so I can be sure.

 

[Tanglefoot]

BTW - Greg, if it is a Vlamingii as it appears to be thanks for the excuse for me to get a bigger tank. I can see the argument now ...but honey Greg said it grows to be 2 feet !!!!

 

[LilFishInBigPond]

Oh yah, you're right Chucker, SPOT ON.

Tanglefoot, tell her now, prepare her for the future (big tank). Man, wish I use that one. Hun, our gobies and blennies are going to out grow our 125g, we'll need to upsize so we can keep them longer. Not gonna work.

 

[delbeek]

It is a Vlamingi tang ... blue-spine unicorns look nothing like the picture on your yahoo link.

If you want to keep this fish to adulthood ... you will need a several 1000 gallon tank one day. .


My advice ... keep it as long as you can ... then donate it to a public aquarium when it gets too large or its growth slows (= stunted growth).

Aloha!
JCD

 

[Tanglefoot]

I agree after more research on the Vlamingi ID. I am currently lookng at a custom 300 Gallon, and when he outgrows that I plan on donating him to the new Oklahoma Aquarium that is almost finished in Tulsa. Does anyone have specific care notes on a Vlamingi? I feed him fortified pellets, and nori as well as keeping live macro algae groing that he seems to nibble on between meals. I keep the tank at 76 degrees and the water levels healthy. After I do a water change he seems to ich out a bit but I add a little vitamin C for a few days and feed him well and he recovers. I suppose with time he will get used to the stress of tanks changes.

Thanks again all !

 

[delbeek]

Just keep in mind that public aquariums are under no obligation to accept any donated fish ... so don't count on them taking it, though I am sure they will given it is not a common species, they will need fish to stock their tanks, etc. They are planktivores and will eat most anything ... including fish feces.

Aloha!
JCD

 

[jamesw]

Yeah, They do get big.

Frank Marini has one in his 180g tank that he has had for almost 10 years. It's a monster @ around 10"

Cheers
James

 

[delbeek]

James: Sorry to say this but after 10 years in a tank and still only 10" I would say that fish has been severely stunted. I touch on this in an upcoming AFM Reef Aquarist column ... there are some fish that its just unethical to keep in small tanks (<2000 gallons) ... this is one of them.

Sorry if I upset anyone but that is my opinion formed from 25+ years of diving on reefs and aquarium keeping, and 7 years of working in a public aquarium.

We have butterflyfish and rabbitfish that we have had for over 15 years in captivity. I have a pair of Gobiosoma going on their 7th year in another tank and a pair of Centropyge flavissimus for over 10 years in the same tank both still spawning. Most hobbyists have no idea what the natural lifespan of their fish should be, and think they are doing great when a fish lives a couple of years.

If people were all successful in keeping their fish for at least a significant portion of their lifespan ... you really think so many fish would be imported each year? A LOT of fish are sold on the retail end in this country ... what happens to them all? Its a sobering thought.