- Runnin with the Pony -  (clownfish/anemones, kingish angels, detritus helpers... marine maintenance)
cheers j-, <Cheers.> john here, dad always says you got a work horse and if he will get you to your destination, well ride em then son, it doesn't matter how you get there just get there! man all those pictures in the Fenner book I just bought makes my tongue drip sweat! if I had known about this sport years ago I'd have stopped baseball and put my trunks on a lot more often and been gone for weeks, but that's a different story isn't it. <Perhaps.> Jason , my question is this I really like the relationship that a clown fish and an anemone have, but can you have one separate, like I want an clown but not an anemone {I've seen then poop, its enough to put drapes around the tank while this happens.} <Yes, you can keep clownfish without an anemone - I have one, it does just fine.> I know the yellow clown is very friendly. but I think maybe my x-mas wrasse will kill it. <It's possible but for whatever reason most fish don't seem bother clownfish with the exception of the super-mean and those with giant mouths.> the wrasse is to busy running from my blue angel. sometime they get along sometimes the angel gets a hair up his wazoo and has to show his domination! will this ever stop. <Probably not until one is no longer there.> and if I take the angel back will the wrasse get kingish {if you know what I mean}? <Yes, quite possibly.> and another thing Jason  what is the best thing to put in the tank to clean detritus {my angel puts it out in buckets} keeping in mind that I have a scooter blenny. <Well... two things, first scooter blennies don't eat detritus. Next your best bet is to add more circulation so that the detritus stays in the water column where is can be picked up by your filtration.> ps the live rock I have is starting to spit out all kinds odd critters I love it although some of these things are probably bad! <Not necessarily.> I know how the game is played. its called take some bad with the good, and grin and bare it. <Hmm... not my definition of a game.> thanks in advance cheer man...
<Cheers, J -- >

Mono Argenteus Trigger?
Bob,
Have you heard of a Mono Argenteus Trigger? Do they have a more common name?
We have one in our tank and would like some facts on it for the wall posters. Please offer any information you have.
I appreciate your time. Thanks!
Pearl Hettwer
<Mmm, likely you're referring to Monodactylus argenteus... not a triggerfish. Do place this name in fishbase.org or WetWebMedia.com and see if this is the animal you have. More scientific and husbandry information will be found on these sites re this fish. Oh, and all the species of known Triggerfishes (family Balistidae) are listed as well. Bob Fenner>

How Much for This Fishy?
>Hello Mr. Fenner, my name is Star, and i was wondering how much Paracanthurus cost?
>>Hello Star. Bob is out of the country. Marina here.
>What is the price range for them? If you could please e-mail me back.
>>You can just use Google for this, please do so.
>Thank You, Star 

Mystery Fish Inquiry
Hello -
First off I would like to say Thank You for having this great website. I have journeyed to your site with various questions & through a search finally found answers to almost all of them. Today I have a stumper question that I'm hoping you can help with. The set-up in question is a 20 gal tank for sea horses (still don't have the sea horses yet) with 2 - 5 gal refugiums. It has been running about 2.5 months. I have cured LR, DSB, grasses, few snails, hermit crabs, 1 emerald crab, 2 peppermint & 2 ghost shrimp living within the set-up. A little over a month ago I received 2 shipments of macroalgae (1 from IPSF & 1 from FAF), mostly Gracilaria sp. I put them into the refugiums & let them go. Much to my shock about a week ago there is a baby fish swimming in one of the refugiums. Two days ago the fish took the big slide into the main tank. It is 3/4" long, is shaped like a baby salmon & is brown in color. It doesn't hide during the day, it usually hangs close to the rock but darts around frequently. I realize that it will remain a mystery for awhile as to what my little baby fish is, but I would like to know if you have suggestions on what to feed it. I have a small colony of amphipods in the set-up. I did start hatching out brine shrimp & adding it to the tank every other day. I don't know if he is eating them or with they are just being lost in the tank. I did add a few frozen brine shrimp to the tank yesterday, but I think they are too big. Clearly the baby fish is eating something in the tank (it seems to be growing fairly quickly), but I'm not certain if whatever it has found to eat so far will sustain it. Your input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you - Jennifer
<Glad to read of your careful preparations. The fish in question very likely originated from IPSF (I am near Gerald's lab here on the Big Island of Hawai'i) as either a fertilized egg or small larva... on the Gracilaria or in the water it was shipped in. The species? Only time can tell... as many larval fishes are obscure at this size/age. Feeding should not prove difficult with your twin refugiums... nor would I be concerned with waiting on the addition of your seahorses. Bob Fenner>

Flying fish in the Land Down Under
Hi there Mr. Fenner
While on the internet looking for information on flying fish in the Great Barrier Reef off Australia, I came across your email address on a site. I wondering if you could recommend any sites with information as we are having a lot of trouble locating any with much information at all on flying fish.
It is for my grandsons assignment due this week. We have been searching for weeks, but cannot hit on much info. I have looked under Exocoetoidei, flying
fish and Atheriniforms. At this stage we are looking for the life cycle and reproductive system with pics if possible & the internal structure of the flying fish. We have also tried the encyclopedia etc.
Hoping to hear from you soon,
Joan Christie
<Flying fishes are important commercial fisheries organisms in a few places in the world, so much of their natural history has been studied. I would start with fishbase.org in your online search for information, and once you have the scientific name/s of the species you're interested in, go back and plug this/these into Google, other search engines for more... and if this doesn't get you enough of what you want, utilize the services of a reference librarian at a large college library. Bob Fenner>

- Which Fish is This? -
My LFS recently got in a beautiful fish I have never seen before.  They have labeled it a "blue barred Pseudochromis", but the only picture I can find that looks anything like it (navy, almost black, with two longitudinal metallic blue lines down each side) is a red sea cleaner wrasse. <Hmm... well, there are a lot of Pseudochromis that aren't even described. Could be you have the genuine article.> What's more, I observed it trying to clean a couple fish in the tank. <Well... there are quite a few non-standard cleaners that clean as juveniles. Could be this is the same behavior.> Is there some other fish, i.e. a "blue barred pseudo" this might be (best guess without a picture, I know), and assuming it is a red sea cleaner Larabicus quadrilineatus, this is a fish you would recommend strongly against (cause it is beautiful!)? <Actually, would recommend against the Larabicus quadrilineatus because the adults are obligate coral polyp eaters.>
Jim
<Cheers, J -- >

- Thompson's Fairy Basslet -
Hi guys,
Just bought a Thompson's fairy Basslet, I have it with a Tuskfish, red Coris wrasse and a Lyretail Anthias in my 135 gal. My question is what can you tell me about Thompson's fairy Basslets or where can you steer me to educate myself on these fish. All my other fish I have learned about on your site but cannot find anything on the Thompson's Anthias. Thank you for any help you can be.
tom from NJ
<I'm afraid for now I can't be of much help. I can find no listing of a fish by these names in FishBase. In fact, the only Thompson's fish is a dogfish so... probably not what you are looking for. Too often, fish names are made up on the fly by someone in the chain of custody who doesn't know what they are looking at. I'd spend some more time pestering the people at the store where you bought it, see if you can look at the 'sheet' that would declare this fish in the shipment. Try very hard to get the scientific name... this would help immensely. In the mean while - if the fish looks like an Anthias, treat it like one...
Cheers, J -- >

Finding Fishy Information...
Hi, Good job-I checked!!  Do you know of anywhere where I can get a comprehensive and accurate list of marine/SW fish? Pref. online.
Then I can leave you alone :)
Jake
<Well, Jake, one of the best sources anywhere is Fishbase-
http://www.fishbase.org/search.cfm
You will be able to find out more than you will probably need about almost any marine fish you can think of! Hope this helps! Regards, Scott F>

Handicapped Gramma!
Hi Crew, <Greetings! Ryan with you!>
I just like to say thank you for your help and support, I've asked a question before and gotten excellent information.  How do I know?  Because it worked! <Under promise, over deliver!  Works every time ;)   >  Now I have another question that I hope you can answer.  Here's some background first......
This weekend I purchased a Royal Gramma.  The tank had about ten of them all floating in separate containers to keep them from fighting.  I check all the fish up and down and picked the best one. (The feisty one, who was flashing his fins and mouth at another fish floating next to him).  I got him home and acclimated him to his Q-Tank and all was fine that night.  The next morning he ate well and was swimming around just fine.  But after the second time I approached the tank to look the fish over I noticed that he didn't have a left side fin.  It was completely gone!  He just had a stub sticking out where the fin should be.  I noticed the stub moves when he does, so there is muscle movement there.  But he swims just fine and eats anything I put in the tank, and seems very happy.  So my question is, do missing fins like this grow back, or will he be the "Gramma without a side fin"?  It just burns me up that I completely missed this, but I really like this fish for the color and personality and hope he makes it to the main tank.  Thanks for your future reply.  Tom
<Tom, you're going to have to be very patient with this wounded little Gramma.  He's going to need a variety of good foods, high water quality and lots of hiding places.  With time, he'll grow the fins back.  I would keep him quarantined as long as possible-Haven't you always wanted an excuse to set up that nano?  I really wouldn't put him in your display until he's 100%.  The more stress he endures, the longer he'll be swimming in circles!  All kidding aside, I'm sure he'll be just fine.  See ya! Ryan>

- Online Fish Monger -
Do you know of a very reputable company to purchase saltwater fish from on-line? <Yes.> Thank You, James
--
James Hall
<Do try one of our sponsors, http://www.themarinecenter.com/ - a very reliable source. Cheers, J -- >

Shy (Not Sly!) Fox... Foxface question
Hello, { another '17' on the way ;-) }
<Hello! Scott F. with you today!>
I have had a Foxface for 2 weeks and he was great till yesterday... Every time yellow, active and with smile on his 'foxy' face... Since tomorrow he is sitting behind the rocks and from time to time (rarely) showing his nose. I don't know what's wrong... His stings are rather hidden {but when picking pellets, they are opened}, but he looks like 'zebra' {black & white}... Is stress cause that behaviour or my eyelash blenny which is swimming like crazy {REALLY active fish}??? It looks like foxy is quite scared but I don't know why... Is it normal that Foxface from time to time has that kind of behavior???
Thanks
<Actually, yes.. In my experience and observations of others, these fishes are much like tangs...Some individuals are very, very "outgoing" and social, and others are amazingly shy. And, of course, it's certainly not an unusual occurrence for these guys to go through periods of time where they are shy and inhibited. I'd keep a close eye on the blenny to see if it is, indeed irritating the Foxface. If the fish is otherwise healthy, then I will venture to guess that in time, this guy will become much more sociable. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

HELP -- need advice!
Thanks for the advice.  It troubles me to hear that you are surprised with their size.  Should they have grown more?  Am I doing something wrong?  I feed them every day (variety of foods high in protein) <Are you feeding them veggies? Sushi Nori is now available at many grocery stores, and you can find it at Oriental Markets if worse comes to worse. Some fish food makers are selling it as prepackaged fish food, for about 5 times the price of sushi Nori (and it's the same stuff!) and they look very healthy -- brightly colored and definitely not skinny. They are also all very active fish -- acting content with their surroundings. <Well, then I wouldn't be too worried.>
Also, how do I find a mate for the clown? <Buy a juvenile of the same species, after some squabbling (and maybe not even then) he'll change into a male, your female has already established her place.> I've tried an anemone but didn't have any luck. <Anemones are generally hard to keep, and can live for decades, if not centuries in the wild. Please research them thoroughly before trying that again.> Plus she never would come out of it! <That's called hosting and is what clowns do in the wild. Prevents them from being eaten and their host anemone is protected from predators too.> How can I get a mate for her?  I would love to do that.
One more question.  I have about 35lbs. of live rock in the tank right now. Should I add more with the new angel coming?  Could I add maybe one new piece every two weeks or so? <Most angels are nibblers and need a lot of LR. Getting a 100lbs+ wouldn't be out of line. Cure it in a separate container and add it to the tank once it's cured. Even then, you should wait a few months (at least) before adding the angel. Here's the info on LR: www.wetwebmedia.com/liverock1.htm  >
Thanks so much!  You all are lifesavers! :)
<You're welcome, and we try out best.>

Life expectancy?
>What are the life expectancies of salt water fish.  I have a regal tang, percula clown and a bi-color blenny in a 30 gallon tank.  Thanks.
>>All species are different, but the fishes you've mentioned should live at least ten years, with the tang possibly having a lifespan of 20 years.  Marina

Dynamic (Bill)fishes
Dear Bob,
Hi!  Your site is the best premium resource on the web.  I have many aquariums in my house.  I have great fascination for dynamic shaped fishes. Sailfish, marlins when shown in art look quite impressive with their sail.
Do any other fishes have such special bony back structures.   
<I'd bet most anything they do... have seen, come across vertebrae and other bones on beaches (likely from caught specimens), and have marveled at how light they are... and in our town (San Diego) there is a billfish (think a Makaira, Xiphias gladius) demo. at the Natural History museum... that shows where it struck and went through about a four inch central beam of a ship! What sort of force generated and conserved can these animals attain? Bob Fenner>
Fond Regards, Nicholas

A Delightful German Fishing Tradition
Dear Bob and crew,
I received this question from Silke Matthau of the Bavarian State Opera in Germany.
It seems to me that he should be asking an historian rather than an aquarist, but I wonder if any of you have come across this in your reading?
<I am unaware of this practice/tradition, but it sounds wonderful. I am sending this note to friends in Germany for input in turn. Bob Fenner>
Sincerely,
Howard Norfolk.
Aquarticles.com
Hello Howard Norfolk,
I found your wonderful collection of fish on the internet and enjoyed the beautiful pictures so much. my name is Silke Matthäus and I work for the Bavarian state opera in Munich. we are in the middle of a our new production of the abduction from the seraglio from Mozart. our set designer heard about the fact that royals (kings, emperors?) used to have floating (hollow) jeweled fish attached to their boats, whenever they traveled by sea. This would give them the impression, their boat was permanently accompanied by beautiful, colorful fish sparkling and twinkling in the water.
My question: do you have any further information or even pictures about this topic? Please let me know, if you know anything about this fact. I am looking forward to hearing from you soon. thank you so much in advance. Have a nice day. Best wishes, Silke Matthäus

How many types of fish produce appreciable amounts of electricity?
<All told about 11 families, a few hundred species... are strongly and weakly electrogenic. Bob Fenner>

Lazy Student, Grunts
dear Mr./Mrs.
I'm a graduate student in marine science & fisheries major, I need a help to find about a fish , I got few information about it but still I need more, so I wish to get what I need here in that website.
Family: Haemulidae (grunts)
1- Global zoogeography of family
2- type of food and feeding behaviour
3- type of preferred habitat
4- reproduction which include:-
        - spawning frequency or season
        - Age at first maturity
        - Nature of sexes
        - number and size of eggs
        - Courtship behaviour
        - parental care
        - larval movement and distribution
        - Adult migration
5- major predator
thanks
<You can find all the above on a search of the family, genera and species... through a literature search pursuant to looking up the group on www.fishbase.org
Otherwise, take a read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/litsrchart.htm
re searching for pertinent literature. Bob Fenner>

Fish Suitability
Hi Bob, just recently bought a 90gallon salt water system and have been using many internet pieces as a resource.  I find your site one of the most useful in that other people can share their experiences and you always seem to have some knowledgeable feedback.
<Thank you David, the crew puts in many hours..>
I have 90lbs of live rock, live sand, 2 clowns, 3 Auriga (?) Butterflies, a coral banded shrimp, a pistol shrimp, 1 emerald crab, a yellow spotted box fish,  a "pretty pink" goby, about 15 snails, and 35 (well 34 now) hermit crabs.  Everyone seems to get along great. First question.  I was at Big Al's this weekend  wanting to get a few more creatures for my 'community tank'.  I spotted a Mandarin Goby (dragonette?) and thought that would be a great fit for my tank.
<Poor choice, needs 150 gallons mature tank with plenty of LR and pod production, most die sadly.>
While the girl was bagging my fish I spotted another interesting small fish (2.5" long) that I learned was a Dragon Wrasse.  She said that it was also a good fit for my community tank.  I double checked while she was bagging my dragon wrasse and asked her again in front of another staff member if both were community compatible and also mentioned what I had in the tank already.  Both agreed that these would be good fish to have.  
<Shall we kill them now or wait for the BBQ?>
I introduced my fish properly to the tank, yet my Dragon Wrasse sunk to the bottom on its side without moving.  
<Properly would be into a QT tank perhaps after a FW dip. No quarantine? Please read more on WWM!!!>
I thought it had died instantly... then all of a sudden it scampered around the tank twice and disappeared for 24hrs.  I understand this is typical?  
<It surprised you didn't it? In the wild it might have worked to escape being dinner!>
Anyhow, my dragon wrasse surfaced from the sand this morning while I was having breakfast... looks like he was hungry too.  He would swim very tightly against my live rock as if he was hunting.  He'd then spot a hermit crab and pick at its legs.  I think he may have bitten off a leg of one of my hermit crabs but he seems to leave all the fish alone.  From what I have read on your site as well as other internet material... I would be better off catching my Dragon and exchanging him for something else?  Your comments?
<Yep, he will eat your coral banded shrimp too when he's big enough.>
I don't know why they would've suggested a Dragon Wrasse for a community tank.  
<Money?>
Should I keep him and see how he adapts to the rest of the tank?  If I keep him properly fed do you think he'll leave my crabs/snails alone?  Or should I take him back?  Your opinion?
<I would take him back.>
Second Question. I have never been able to find information on my so called "pretty pink" goby - that's what Big Al's called him.  One of the more knowledgeable guys at the store (his name is Bob too) told me that this goby will pair up with my pistol shrimp, yet after two weeks they still hide in their own separate hiding places.
<These symbiotic relationships sometimes happen, sometimes not. Two weeks isn't a lot of time.>
I have read that a 'goby shrimp' will pair up with a goby... yet they included pistol shrimp in the description within the article.  As well, is their such a thing as a "pretty pink" goby??  Or did they name it wrong.  It has a dark purplish underbelly with orangey or light pink spots.  It doesn't dig, but hides under a rock.  Will these two pair up? Or do I have the wrong creatures for that kind of relationship to happen?
<Possibly. To find out what you have going on, check this out: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/shrimpgobies.htm>
Last Question.  My Coral Banded Shrimp seems to be cleaning my butterfly fish.  Is this odd???  
<Normal cleaning behavior with large enough fish....>
I also noticed that last night it appeared as though he was hunting my Mandarin Goby.  The dragonette (are these names synonymous?) was sleeping on a rock and the Coral Banded snuck up on him. It looked as though he speared my goby in the side, but the goby was able to swim away and looks to be alright.  Is this common?  I thought Coral Banded Shrimp feed on algae and other micro-organisms in liverock?
<No, they are quite carnivorous and will hunt small fish and other shrimp.>
One last comment.  Looks as though my pistol shrimp has dug himself quite the tunnel under about a 40lbs stack of my live rock.  It looks as though he collapsed my nicely assorted stack of rock, does that surprise you??
<Not at all. Best to secure your rock with burrowers>
In my community tank, are any carnivorous fish gonna be ok?  Or is that a dumb question?  
<Not unless you don't like your other fish....or inhabitants.>
Big Fan! Dave
<Thanks for being a fan Dave!  Craig>

Feeding Nori and Trapping fish in a Reef Tank
I bought some of the Nori (actually the Seaweed Select brand - same thing but more expensive...sorry but the Oriental store here is like 30 minutes away).
<understood>
I offered it the second night - no action. It's in there again tonight - still no action.
<I'm starting to doubt your patience at large <G>. Rest assured... all in good time. The fish will not starve, I assure you>
The yellow occasionally nibbles on rock but not much interest while the Kole yellow eye is non-stop munching on rocks glass everything.
<sounds like perfectly natural behaviors>
Do you think either of them will eventually start accepting Nori
<I am certain of it>
or is it just too new an environment...should I give them a week or two to settle in
<yes please>
(or will they starve before then?)
<not at all...most fishes can easily go several weeks without food>
Should I offer it daily now,
<yes, in small amounts. And do try lower or nearer to the rocks. Some tangs fear the surface of the water and reflections off glass/water surface>
considering no interest presently, or only every other day???
<all in good time>
I am sorry to hear about those gobies.......I would give them to someone with a well established system if I knew how to get them out of my tank. Any suggestions????
<they will trap easily... most fish do when you learn the right trick. One of my favorite ways to trap fishes in a rockscaped aquarium is as follows:
take a small Ziploc bag filled with a concentrated slurry of live brine shrimp. Seal the bag closed. Then take a rather large plastic bag (10x22 or bigger), fold the top down a coupe of inched to make a rigid collar (you'll see...) and sink the whole bag under water in the reef... making sure to get all air bubbles out.
Fluff the large bag out a bit and throw the sealed small bag of brine shrimp (sans air too) into the back of the bag.
Then squirt a tiny amount of live brine shrimp at the mouth of the bag. The premise is to lure fishes to the mouth of the bag to feed on the brine shrimp and entice them to swim to the back to take a shot at the "mother lode" in the sealed baggie once into the back they are often confused and run into the bag wall in an attempt to run towards the reef when you go to snatch the bag (you are sitting patiently by the tank). You might take it a step further and tie a slip noose of fishing line under the collar of the bag and run a lead of line to the bark-o-lounger that you are sitting on in wait for the silly twits to swim into the bag. Best regards, Anthony>

Fish Lifespan
How long can I expect my fish will live if the conditions I give them are good? Yellow tang?
<Easily 10-15 years or more.>
Blue devil and Yellow tail damsel?
<Well over five years, perhaps as much as ten.>
Boxing shrimp (red banded)?
<I don't really know about this one. Easily over five years, but I don't know the maximum. What I can say, is just about any fish will live longer in captivity than in the wild, given appropriate care and conditions. In aquariums, they are free from disease and predation. The predation is the real killer. I remember seeing a study on Jawfish which showed they only lived about a year in the wild. They eventually get eaten. It is like this with many smaller fish. They are food for someone else.>
Thank you, Carlos Díaz
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Rapid gill movements?
REM...er, RGM: rapid gill movements?
Hello guys, hope things are well. 
<and to you the same with thanks>
This is a quick one (I think/hope!).
I've seen many warnings against improper gill movements, but a description of what that is hard to come by. 
<each species is different... but 60/min is close for many>
I agree that this along with other observations is a very good indicator of health, and I'd like to know where my fishes' breathing should be at. Right now, the fish I'm researching are the ones I own...one of each of
Centropyge tibicens (4-inch)
Pomacanthus semicirculatus (2 1/2-inch)
Zebrasoma flavescens (4-inch)
Ctenochaetus strigosus (5-inch)
Pseudochromis diadema (2-inch)
2 Amphiprion frenatus (2-inch)
Thanks for the input Matt
<yes... a lazy and deliberate once per long second is "normal" for many fishes. Labored breath is fairly obvious and indicates impending infections of parasites in gills, low dissolved oxygen, etc. Best regards, Anthony>

Without trying to start a big thing I was wondering if you could comment on this!
Cultured Fishes from the Sea
Hello gentleman
The material below is from Flying Fish Express. I saw something similar, about what I assume was a wholesaler, in FAMA yesterday and I wonder if you could read this and comment on whether the part about "step actually causes the gastro-intestinal tracts of these fish to develop differently from their wild cousins, allowing these now captive specimens to assimilate the artificial food" is possible? 
<I have heard a lecture from the researcher that developed the technique, I have seen the cultured fishes at several trade shows... I am hopeful of the whole process... but I think that their claims at essentially overcoming evolution for the dietary needs of these fishes is dubious at best. Still not convinced here>
The article in FAMA directly mentioned butterflies, but if this is the case wouldn't this be the ideal? 
<heck ya!>
Fish that had hard to furnish requirements that were no longer those requirements?
Ornate butterfly's? Meyers? Angels that need sponges that would no longer need them?
Thanks so much for your comments
Mac
<thanks kindly, Anthony>
http://www.ffexpress.com/fish/tank_raised.html
<http://www.ffexpress.com/fish/tank_raised.html>
>From the crystal clear coves of tropical French Polynesia comes another industry first, brought to you exclusively by Flying Fish Express. Our new line of tank raised fish goes way beyond the usual range of cultured clownfish and Dottybacks currently available in the industry today. From tangs to damsels, these farmed fish are part of our commitment to save the world's reefs one animal at a time.
Our aquacultured fish begin their lives just as most wild specimens do. Mature fish broadcast their gametes into the water column where the eggs are fertilized and the ensuing larvae become part of the zooplankton population. Under ideal circumstances these larvae suffer a mortality of over 99% in the natural habitat due to factors ranging from natural death to
predation.
Our biologists seine these larval fish from the tropical shallows before they meet their natural fate and tank raise them under ideal conditions. Free from disease and predation, the survival rate of these tiny fish is enormously enhanced and they grow rapidly. At a very specific time in their development the larval fish are introduced to artificial commercial aquarium food. This step actually causes the gastro-intestinal tracts of these fish to develop differently from their wild cousins, allowing these now captive specimens to assimilate the artificial food. They actually develop a preference for artificial food making them ideally suited to captive life.
Hardy, beautiful, competitively priced and easy to feed, our Flying Farmed Fish are the perfect swimming additions for your marine aquarium. Why purchase wild-caught fish from other retailers and struggle with the age-old problem of "getting them to eat"? Why deal with the hassle of having to keep all those different frozen and live foods for all those different species?
>From puffers to butterflies, our cultured fish LOVE commercial pellet or flake food. It's easy, it's fun.......IT'S THE FUTURE!! Keep visiting us for different Flying Farmed Fish arriving periodically at our Los Angeles
facility.

Lifespan of aquarium fish
Hello,
I just found your site. Anyway, where can I find information about the lifespans of various saltwater aquarium fish. 
<The most readily data here are posted (at times) by Public Aquariums. You can find links to many of them here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marlinks.htm>
I have or should say had a small brown Scopas tang for about 1 1/2 years. This morning I found it
dead. Basically I would like this information just so I can tell if it is just old age or other problems.
<Mmm, not old age... Zebrasoma Tangs have been kept in captivity for teens of years>
I had it in a 50 gallon tank with 60 lbs of live rock. All of the water parameters are fine. Also in the tank are 2 small clownfish, a blue damsel and a yellow tailed wrasse. These fish are all fine and very active. The Brown Scopas has always been very active up until this morning. Thanks, Rod
<Be chatting, Bob Fenner>

Barracuda??
Hi guys. Just a quick question...I noticed my LFS has a pair of barracuda for sale. Is this reasonable? 
<very dubious... if the LFS will only sell them to an aquarist with a VERY large aquarium, then maybe OK. But if they will sell them to anybody with a dollar or for smaller aquaria... then they are ignorant>
I've never seen them on display in any other store and it just made me stop and wonder. I personally would never consider buying one but I'm a passive tank kinda guy anyway. Thanks...TTFN. Wes
<barracuda are miserably stressed tank denizens. They need species specific tanks (no other fishes)... they are skittish, medicant sensitive, ich-prone, susceptible to eye injuries, etc. Really a fish for advanced aquarists only in huge aquaria. Give the LFS owner a kick in the groin for me. Best regards, Anthony>

Re: Barracuda??
Well...on a whim I called a SECOND LFS about barracuda. They told me that I would need at least a 30 or 40 gallon tank.....and they get them in periodically.....
<hahhahhahahhahha....hahhaha...hoo hoo ...heeheehee... hahahahahhahhhaha ahha...ahha..ha..he..hoo..ahh... ya, close. I just got a mental picture of a 3 ft barracuda dunking its tushy in the 30-40 gallon tank and wearing a grin goading the LFS owner to come closer to try to stuff the rest of him into that tank>>
Unbelievable. Still looking for someone who cares about what they are doing....I KNOW they are out there. Wes
<And I'm realizing that I'm going to go through a lot of boots if my solution is to kick each and every one of these idiots in the jimmy as my solution to their lack of empathy (I just realized that my very solution itself lacks empathy... but what the heck). Anthony>

<Am sure these boys know that there are a few freshwater fishes sold by this "cuda" name... Bob F>

Fish ID
Dear Bob, Anthony, or Steve:
<Anthony Calfo in your service>
Can you please help me identify these two fish of mine? I have tried to find info in several sources including FishBase and have found nothing. Sorry for the bad quality pics, just got the camera today and these guys move fast! :)
<you'll get better and they will get slower in time <smile>>
The damsel came in with a batch of Blue and Gold's (Pomacentrus coelestis) and I imagine it must be a hybrid of mutation of some sort?
<tough to tell with certainty from the photo... but unlikely to be a hybrid. May very well be a Pomacentrus species>
The wrasse was sold by the wholesaler as a "Neon Wrasse", however like others I see on WetWebMedia, it apparently isn't easy to ID this fish by the so-called common name of Neon Wrasse.
<Actually, pegged this one... you have a juvenile chiseltooth wrasse (Pseudodax moluccanus). A picture of the juvenile exactly like yours can be found in the Burgess atlas, most pics on the Web show a very different color as adults. Cleaner fish as juveniles, eating algae and small plankton as adults. Not a lot known about this one but feed a wide variety in the diet. This species may not be inclined to hardiness. Best regards, Anthony>

Fish ID
Hi! I'm a high school student and I have marine biology. We have a marine tank and a store gave us some fish to cycle the tank. He gave us one and we can't figure out what kind it is. I'll give you the best details I can. He's yellow with black vertical stripes maybe 2 inches long he has a sort of pointy nose. He eats Tubifex worms, lettuce, and flake food. We asked at the place that gave it to us but the person that gave it to us wasn't there and the other people didn't know. Hopefully you can help. Thanks!
<please browse the fish photos and articles on from the homepage to narrow down the search. The description is indeed too general to hazard a guess> 

Can you help me find a fish?
Dear Mr. Fenner,
I was wondering if you could help me with something. About ten years ago, in the early days of my interest in aquariums, I was at a pet shop and I saw something that I haven't seen since. It was a freshwater fish that was being sold as a "wolf fish". This particular fish had sort of a marbled light/dark brown coloration and was approximately 2 to 3 inches in length. It's body was elongated and the most noticeable trait were it's teeth. They were very large and very sharp. I wanted to know if you had ever come across such a fish, and if you had any information that could help me identify it because I'd like to find one for my tank.
<Mmm, elongated, mottled brown, largish teeth... Maybe a batrachoidid (Midshipman), often sold as "Freshwater Lionfish" (actually brackish to marine). Please use the Google Search Feature on WetWebMedia.com to see our coverage of this group... and will post your query on the Daily FAQs in the hope others can help identify what this might be. Please read this over the next few days. Bob Fenner>
Thanks,
Matt

Three questions (worms, Wormfish, not-so-wormy wrasses)
Bob-
It's been over 2 years since I've picked your brain, so I'm going to indulge with 3 questions:
1) I just bought a "Trap-em" Bristleworm trap for my nanoreef, b/c of my first ever infestation after 3 years. When I checked at midnight, it was full of worms; in the morning it was empty. Do you have any suggested mod.s to contain them?
<These are posted in FAQs files on WetWebMedia.com under Polychaete, Bristleworms...>
2) I can't find any info on the Curious Wormfish I put in my main tank except for the Fishbase info. It stays hidden under the crushed coral 90% of the time and seems to come out at night. No one picks on him.
<They do hide... generally more than this!>
3) Is it crucial that filament wrasses be kept in m/f pairs? I've got a small female that seems to be doing fine.
<Not crucial... males look, behave "better" in the presence of females... Bob Fenner>
Thanks,
Steve

Mysterious tag along
Bob,
About a month ago I received an order from a web supplier of marine critters. In my order were 3 cucumbers. When I put the critters in my tank 2 creatures emerged from the cucumbers. They were mostly transparent, eel like in shape and 3" long. When I looked closely I could barely make out a fin on the lower part of their body, running about 3/4 of their body. Also, I think I can see gills, but like I said, since they are transparent it is hard to tell. They also keep trying to enter the anterior portion of the cucumbers by bumping their head into them. 
<Actually the posterior. These are very likely members of the fish family Carapidae, the Pearlfishes... that utilize the cavity of Sea Cucumbers as habitat.>
I did not see them for a few weeks and then this morning I saw one of them again. He seemed to be swimming around the tank in the dark.
I phoned the supplier quickly and told them what I saw and they had no idea what it might be. Do you have any clues? Could it be some kind of eel in it's larval stage?
<No... do take a look under the family name on fishbase.org>
Anyway, it is very curious. One of my cucumbers was sucked into a powerhead and chewed up so I am hoping that the critter was not inside it still. You know how marine tanks with live rock seem to have critters disappear and reappear in an instant.
Anyway, you are the only one that may be able to answer this mystery. I have looked in books and talked to several people, so short of getting a text book from my college days, I did not know where else to turn.
Thanks, Julie C.
<Good observing on your part. Be chatting. Bob Fenner>

Diademichthys spp.
Hi Bob,
Do you have any information on these fish? 
<Not much. Clingfishes, family Gobiosocid, are rarely offered in the trade in the West>
There seems to be little on the
net about them, but the Japanese seem to occasionally keep them.
<Yes, but not easily kept. Take a beating in capture, transport from the wild. Bob Fenner>
Many thanks,
Jason Edward

Fish trates?
what are three trates of fish?
<Mmm, traits... maybe that they live in water, have fins and respire with gills?>
How do fish produce their young?
<Three ways: By eggs, by livebearing, and by an intermediate format of bearing live young w/o internal attachment>
Can you help me?
<We'll see. I will try>
Thank you,
Lynsey Kelly 3rd grade Peoria Illinois
<Bob Fenner, WetWebMedia.com>

Re: Unknown Fish
Today I was under my tank sorting out the mess in my cabinet, I looked up through the bottom of my aquarium and I saw a fish under a piece of live rock. It is about 4-6 inches long and is very eel like. It is black with White vertical lines on it. I don't even know how it could have got in my tank.
<Likely as a "tag-along" on/in your live rock>
I hope it is not a Zebra eel. Is it possible that it came in on a piece of live rock? Thank you for your help.
<Need better description, data/image to make a guess. Bob Fenner>

Max Fish Size
Hi Bob,
Glad to see the site is back up. 
<Me/Us too!>
Quick question, is there a rule of thumb to determine the maximum size of aquarium raised fish as opposed to max size
in the wild? 
<Hmm, have to think about this... I'd say it's a good guess that something that gets to two feet or less maximum size in the wild would likely only grow to half its size in captivity (at least in home aquarium settings)... and between two and four feet... let's say... about 2/5's... and bigger than that? A sliding scale of much smaller proportion>
I noticed in your section on hippo tangs, that you stated they would grow to a foot in the wild and half that in captivity. I'm working on my stocking plan and most references, such as FishBase, only state the size these fishes would attain in the ocean. Thanks again.
<Yes... won't it be great when there is a petfishbase.org? Bob Fenner>

Brotulas
hi bob, I have a yellow Brotulas and I cant seem to find any info about it.
<Not much known (that I'm aware of) re these Cusk Eels, family Ophidiidae)
The Key Brotulas (Ogilbia cayorum) is colored green. this is found in my book but doesn't say any thing about it. I have a yellow one in my sump right now.
<Well... this species does come in yellow to brownish coloration... gets to about four inches in length... is shy to the point of not being seen... takes meaty foods in captivity. Take a read through fishbase.org and consider writing an article consequent to your investigating, photographing these fishes. Bob Fenner>
any info will be greatly appreciated. thanks

Charging ahead with fish livestocking
I have read things about these fish and they sound like good fish to have but I wanted to get your opinion. 
<Hmm, looks like we're starting out "en media res" here... what fish?>
I have a 46 gal. I have two Percula clowns. I want to get a yellow tang next. I understand that they are easily diseased.
<Au contraire... one of the usually toughest "on arrival", and ongoing species of popular marines>
I want to ask the pet shop to keep one for a week for me to see how it does. they say they treat their tanks for ick from the beginning. Is this asking to much? They use to guarantee their fish for 48hrs. but now they don't guarantee them at all because they said their supplier does not. How would a Flame Angel do? What about a False eye
puffer? Thanks in advance!
<Whoa, whoa... please apply some of your exuberance to reading through the "Selection" and survey articles on these groups of fishes posted on the site: www.WetWebMedia.com
Bob Fenner>

Livestock question
got a few questions about selecting some livestock that I wasn't able to answer on my own through research (your site and others). I've been browsing around on the internet looking for neat looking fish to get a general idea as to what I'm gonna stock it with (125gal with three 10gals as sump/macro algae/plankton hatchery).
<Good idea>
I've got my eyes on some angels and some neat tangs. well anyways here's the questions..... I'm gonna avoid the shark issue but what's up with Remora Sharks?
<Echeneids? Actually "Remoras, some of which are mutualistic, and hitchhikers on some sharks... Not good animals for any but the most humongous of home aquariums... very eager eaters, fast growers... and mess-makers... not for reefs whatsoever... Have friends with them now, and years back used them in some large service accounts...>
I really don't know how they'd do in a system my size (I really don't want it, just curious). I also got sick of feeding of my lion, so I'm not too big on messy predators (btw he/she died last night due to a nasty battle with Pseudomonas). 
<Yikes... wash your hands if you've been in this tank...>
here's the real question, are blue spotted rays ok for the home aquarium?
<Nah... the couple of species sold by this name have terrible survival records in captivity...>
I have my doubts, but man are they neat. no offense, but your ray articles aren't much help like so many of you other articles (utterly valuable by the way, you're my aquarium hero).
<Will have to spiff up this section... have revisited recently... >
and finally Oriental Flying Gurnards look pretty sweet, but they look too good..... probably as safe as a ribbon eel, or a Moorish idol right? any help would be sweet.
<These fishes are fine in a very peaceful setting and quite the conversation piece/s...>
Jon drawbridge
<Bob Fenner>

46 gallon saltwater tank
Mr. Fenner,
This is the size tank I have. Right now I have a Percula clown that has been in there sometime. I would like to get another Percula clown because I think they are neat. Will this work and if so should I get another one before getting any other fish? 
<Should work... especially if the present one isn't too big, is tank-bred/reared... you have live rock... we have/keep pairs (starting as trios) in twenty gallon high systems (experimental, breeding tanks), often removing "the odd fish out" as one unfolds into a/the dominant female... two in a forty six should be fine. Also, it would be better to have other fish present first... as "dither" organisms>
I would also like a Yellow Tang. Should I get it
next? 
<Yes>
s a coral beauty difficult to keep? 
<Not the hardest of the Dwarf Angels, but the ones from the Philippines and Indonesia are not worthwhile. If you can secure a healthy specimen hailing from elsewhere, of small size (under three inches total length), you have good odds... a forty six gallon system is a "small world" for these species>
I do not want to make a lot of changes. I would like to get my tank set-up with some pretty fish to enjoy and take care of them. How many can I have in this size tank and what fish to you suggest. I want some that are not hard to keep as others
maybe.
something that will eat the dry food and frozen brine shrimp, and romaine lettuce but I do not want anything that
is difficult to feed. Also how many should I add at a time and in what time frame.? I would appreciate your help!
Thanks a lot!!!
<You need to study, develop your own stocking list... read through the articles on selection, stocking, and the many organism overviews posted on the www.WetWebMedia.com site for a beginning, and delve into the book references mentioned there... ahead of any livestock purchase... Very easy to make mistakes at this point.... and you need to know more, much more that you don't know enough to ask. Bob Fenner.>

Indian threadfin?
hi bob, was given a saltwater fish for my birthday from my wife. this fish looks like its chrome plated about 2 1/2 inches round very flat looking) and has black and white threads coming from top and bottom fins was told its a Indian threadfin. is this the right name? what will it eat, so far its only eating small guppies. is this ok to feed him or can I wean him onto something else? would like to add a purple tang to tank and some hard corals such as Euphyllia family which you suggested to me a few months back. will this fish bother any of my corals or the purple tang , how aggressive is this fish? cannot find any info on fish anywhere, hope you can help. thank you Joe >>
>>
You might make a pot of coffee and take a look through ICLARM's FishBase: 
http://www.fishbase.org/index.htm
I doubt if this is an official "Threadfin" (family Polynomial). They're rare in the trade and don't match the description. But probably is a juvenile Jack (family Carangidae), Alectis indicus which can be trained onto meaty prepared foods as it gets older/larger... to 165cm (yep, five feet in length), 25 kilos... a very robust feeder then.
Genus Euphyllia corals (family Caryophylliidae) are great for hobby aquarium use... but not wit this fish.
Bob Fenner

Pholodichthys
When I first entered the hobby, I bought a fish from a local petstore to cycle my tank. It was sold to me as a coral catfish about an inch long and I just referred to it as the five dollar bill that you never saw.
Anyway, three years later, it has become one of my favorite fish, it is about 6-7 inches long, black with large white spots that have become more numerous as the fish grows older. It lives under the live rock and coral with it's head poked out waiting for food to go by, and can swim equally well straight forward or backward, great personality. The only problem is that it resembles an eel more than any coral catfish I have seen....and I can't find it in any of my books. Would be great if you could tell me exactly what I have.
>>
I love a mystery fish identification! Let's see, there are two families of catfishes (Order Siluriformes) that contain marine species, the Ariidae and Plotosidae... and the latter contains the most commonly offered (and very venomous) marine cat, Plotosus lineatus, which is most often referred to as a Coral Catfish... but this species doesn't have the mentioned black spotting, nor swim backwards/forwards with ease... Aha, there is an off again, on again species that does match the description... and it is sold under many names (Eel goby, eel blenny, Eel catfish... ) and maybe Coral Catfish ! Not surprising for folks who delve into such matters, this fish is neither an eel, goby, blenny or catfish! It is most often sold as a Convict Blenny in the U.S., and is monotypic (the only member of its family, Pholidichthyidae... it's Pholodichthys leucotaenia!). This species relative placement in systematics is a little in doubt, maybe it is a blennioid, but Nelson in his most recent (3d ed.) places it in the Suborder Trachinoidei... the only near relative that is used in the aquarium trade are the sand perches...
This is a great aquarium species, that does best in small schools, and given dark hiding spaces will live in peace for years. You can look it up in several places now that you have the scientific and common(est) name... You're welcome.
Bob Fenner