Blue-line Angelfish from Vietnam

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis, some 17cm long, from Vietnam.

Distribution of this species includes southern Japan (very common), Taiwan, and South China Sea. But this specimen was undoubtedly was collected and shipped from Vietnam. Only large specimens, larger than 15cm, are available from there but it is rarely seen in market and also is commanding a very high price.

This individual has a more complicated pattern on face than those seen in other areas, that makes more prized by aquarists.

I have seen some individuals at some shops in Tokyo, but its distribution is still mysterious, and it has no record from the Philippine area. In Japan it does not exist in the Ogasawara Islands.

Well, does anybody know its accurate distribution ? I would greatly appreciate you when you provide me with any information. Also any juvenile is yet to be available from Vietnam.

 

[spawner]

Very nice,

I caught a 20-25 cm fish in 15 meters of water out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida about 3 years ago. Took him back to the wholesaler that let him go Sure wan't that nice looking, just an INDO fish.

 

[Len]

From what I've read, this species is predominantly along the clost of mainland asia and doesn't venture far into the indo-pacific. I haven't dived in all these locations though, so I'm just repeating what I've read

I see them in the US from time to time. They are rare but don't come close to the prices of C.conspiculatus.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Thank you.

Spawner; probably you have collected another species, for it does not occur in Florida, West Atlantic. Then what species did you get ??? Do you have any photo ? I am very interested in it. Or you saw the species that has been released by a dealer or aquarist into the sea.

Here is a juvenile from our coast, some 3cm long, that already has blue stripes on side. It was collected by friends of Miyazaki City at the depth of 2-3 meters in summertime several years ago.

Probably those from Vietnam possess similar stripes on the black body when very young.

 

[Len]

Hiroyuki, people are unfortunately dumping their pacific tropical fish in atlantic waters. There's been sightings of many pacific fish like Lionfish all up and down the US Atlantic coast

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Len,

Thanks and it is an interesting fact. Most species found in all tropical seas might originally be restricted to some area (or Indian or Pacific Oceans). But such as Megamouth (shark) has been found in all the seas; it cannot be an aquarium release.

It seems a kind of crime on occasion to release live fishes or inverts to different areas where they do not exist, and also we Japanese should be careful; we can see so many rarities from remote areas but some aquarists will make them free when they became too large or are injured.

Big turtles with sharp teeth from Americas were found in a small pond where children play in Japan last year. Also policemen captured a large pyranha in a small river last year !

 

[Vili_Shark]

Hello Mr.Tanaka,
I see that Japan market is very similar to Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong they are ready to pay more for Vietnam caught C.septentrionalis rather than the Taiwan caught.
I was collecting in Vietnam in November.
The C.septentrionalis comes from central Vietnam and is seasonal in the way that there's quite a bad weather there which makes the visibility close to 0.
I didnt see even one specimen in many dives in Phu Quoc island, in the south of Vietnam , there were many huge P.annularis though.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Hi Mr. Shark,

Many thanks for the informative reply.

You are collecting fish species in Vietnam ? It is very nice, and I hope to hear from you more on the Vietnam fishes. Have you ever seen or caught Cirrhilabrus melanomarginatus there ? The species is restricted to s. Japan, Taiwan and n. Philippines but it found an aquarium way from Vietnam these two to three years. I hope to hear from you again.

 

[Vili_Shark]

Hello Mr.Tanaka,
Sorry for my late reply, I was few days in Germany.
No Im not a collector, I just joined a collecting boat in Vietnam on late October early November 05.
I'll probably be back there soon.
No we didnt catch any Cirrhilabrus spp.
The only Labrids we caught were Halichoeres spp. and Macropharyngodon spp.
This collector is concentraing more on Pomacanthidae and Pomacentridae, actually, I feel his Amphiprion spp quality is the highest I have ever saw in wild ones, but thats another topic.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Thanks.

I hope them to take interest in and collect fairies and flashers there.

You can see what species will be imported from Vietnam on the web in Japan shown below. So many good species.

http://www.l-wave.co.jp/sub6.htm

 

[Vili_Shark]

Hello Mr. Tanaka,
Most of the fish on that page are quite common there.
The Cirrhilabrus spp. in the picture I never saw there, I'll try to look for them next time Im there, but the equipment we got is not that good, it's pipes connected to an air generator on the boat.
Cant really get you deep.
But they can make good money out of it as they were getting dozens of large Angels like P.annularus P.(Euxiphipops)sextriatus and few P.imperators, have to remember that Fairy wrasses are really popular only in Japan and America and thats about it.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Many thanks, Mr. Vili-Shark.

Yes, those angel & butterflies are now very popular among Japanese aquarists, and are not so expensive, except Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis. The angelfish is highly prised because of their fantastic and magnificent feature on face.

Here is another populra species, Chaetodon wiebeli, Wiebel's Butterflyfish, one of the most attractive butterlyfish members from Vietnam.

Yes, please let me know when you have a chance to see Cirrhilabrus melanomarginatus. It was not known from Vietnam until now. I hope to know its depth range, size, etc. and I wish to add your information to my guide on Fairy & Flasher Wrasses, now in preparation. Thank you.

 

[Vili_Shark]

Hello Mr.Tanaka,
Sure I will look for it next time Im in vietnam.
Pls let me know if you need any assistance with your guide in the Red Sea , I will be diving there next month for a week.
By the way, do you have experience with with C.balteatus?

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Thank you very much.

Yes, I hope to describe more in detail on Red Sea species; Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis (also from Sri Lanka), Cirrhilabrus blatteus (very deep water species and few photos are available), and Paracheilinus octotaenia (Eight-line Flasher).

Yes, I have kept a male, 10-11cm long, that was collected in the Marshall Islandsand and shipped via Hawaii. It was doing well in a tank, and is a member of Cirrhilabrus temminckii complex, all with extremely long pelvic fins (it also includes C. punctatus and C. katherinae). I intend to show the complex in a separate column on the web soon.

The species is quite distinct in having an orange patch on side in males. It is popularly known as Belted or Girdled Fairy Wrasse. Females are red to reddish brown overall.

Another male would reach me soon from the Marshalls.

 

[Vili_Shark]

Hello Mr.Tanaka,
I have never seen C.rubriventralis in the Red Sea, maybe it is in the southern parts or maybe I just missed it.
The P.octotaenia is just a beauty.
What you say about the C.blateus explains why I never saw it, I went till 67m. , never saw one.
I also never saw one for sale even though looking for them for long time.
Thanks for the info on the C.balteatus , do you know how the female looks like?

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Thanks for your kind reply, and yes, some species of Cirrhilabrus are deep dwellers.

Here is a photo of a fresh specimen of male of C. rubriventralis from the Red Sea (by Dr. Randall). It has red ventral fins but those from Sri Lanka (next photo) have a red & black ones. This is why I want to know more about the differences between males from two remote areas. In Oman the species was recorded but only a few sightings by divers. Aquarists can receive males from Sri Lanka but Red Sea specimens are scracely available.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

This male came from Sri Lanka, and is now in display.

The difference in coloration of pelvic fisn are evident; the Red Sea male possesses red & black fins (previous photo). The specimens from Sri Lanka seem a link between C. rubriventralis and C. joanallenae (from northern Sumatra; it has entirely black pelvic fins).

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

They are females of Cirrhilabrus balteatus photographed by Jack Randall in the Marshalls.

They are reddish brown to red on side and whitish ventrally. Note the black spot on pectoral-fin base. Such small specimens are yet to enter the aquarium trade.

 

[Vili_Shark]

Hello Tanaka san,
I just received few wrasses from Vietnam.
Most are Halichoeres spp. but one is Cirrhilabrus spp.

 

[Vili_Shark]

Hello Tanaka san,
I just received few wrasses from Vietnam.
Most are Halichoeres spp. but one is Cirrhilabrus spp.