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Gulf Coast Shrimp ID – 7/4/09 <Hello there, Lynn here today> Can you ID these shrimp caught off the gulf coast at the Port Aransas jetties? <They look like some sort of Hippolytid (Family Hippolytidae - cleaner, peppermint, etc. shrimps,). The closest in color/general appearance that I’ve found so far are several species listed as belonging in the genus Parhippolyte, such as P. misticia, but appearances can be deceiving. When it comes to ID's, details are everything. You’d need to be able to get in close and compare various features, for instance rostrum length/shape, and compare them to either a good diagnostic/identification key or known species within the various Hippolytid genera. Luckily, I’ve got a link to a terrific key covering various shrimps, including those in the family Hippolytidae. Start on page 59 for a key to the various genera: http://www.sil.si.edu/smithsoniancontributions/Zoology/pdf_hi/SCTZ-0587.pdf I’ve also contacted a faculty member at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute there in Port A to see if he could lend us a hand. I received a message from him stating that he was going to look into the matter for us and I very much appreciate it! I will certainly keep you informed regarding any results or developments that come my way. By the way, here’s a link with a photo of Parhippolyte misticia: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/reefs/guamimg/crustacea/caridea/Pages/Image17.html More re: family Hippolytidae - http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hippolytidae.htm > Thanks.. <You’re very welcome! Take care, LynnZ> Hi Bob and Steve...(see message below in <<... >>) <Thank you Lynn! BobF> <<Always a pleasure, Bob! - Lynn> Re: Shrimp ID Bob, We have a dilemma trying to ID a shrimp we caught at the jetties where we will be collecting.  Lynn from WWM has joined our forums trying to help us with the ID.  I have included an attached picture of the shrimp.  Here is a link to our forums, if you care to join in our discussions.  Please register with a Username and when you do, we would like to offer you a Complimentary Charter Membership. <Thank you Steve... The closest thing I can find to fit the animals in this image is Lysmata seticaudata... How did it get to the Gulf of Mexico from... the Mediterranean? Got me! BobF> Link: http://maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52235 <<Yep, the closest I've gotten is Parhippolyte misticia. Unfortunately, I haven't found any info regarding their range include the Texas coast.  Here's a link w/photo: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/reefs/guamimg/crustacea/caridea/Pages/Image17.html  The good news is that I did hear from Dr. Munguia yesterday morning. He's going to look into the matter for us - yay! Until then...y'all take care and have a great fourth! Lynn>> Re: Gulf Coast Shrimp ID   7/2/09 Bobster.. <Super Lynn> Just wanted to let you know that the shrimp query in my folder may take a couple of days before it's answered. The little fellows in question were caught in Port Aransas, TX, which is one of my old stomping grounds. <Neat... nothin' like a home-grown dirty shreemp dish> Luckily, UT has a Marine Science Institute there, so I've emailed one of the faculty members to see if he could help. The shrimp looks like a Hippolytid of some sort to me (akin to what people call a Candycane shrimp - Parhippolyte sp?) but I can't see enough detail to commit with any degree of certainty and I'm not even sure if that genus' range includes the Texas gulf coast. Anyway, if all goes well, we'll have an answer in the next day or two, but with the holidays (and probably a busy academic life!) who knows? If I haven't heard anything by Friday night, I'll go ahead and respond. If I hear anything afterwards, we can always add a follow-up. Sound okay? <Yep> More than anything, I'm just curious as to what those little guys are! I never saw them growing up or when I was there last year - and you know I looked! Take care, -Lynn <Will do. B> Shrimp ID 7/2/09 Bob, We have a dilemma trying to ID a shrimp we caught at the jetties where we will be collecting. Lynn from WWM has joined our forums trying to help us with the ID. I have included an attached picture of the shrimp. Here is a link to our forums, if you care to join in our discussions. Please register with a Username and when you do, we would like to offer you a Complimentary Charter Membership. <Thank you Steve... The closest thing I can find to fit the animals in this image is Lysmata seticaudata... How did it get to the Gulf of Mexico from... the Mediterranean? Got me! BobF> Link: http://maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52235 MAAST President TMAC 2010...in the works

Valentini Puffer Problem - 07/03/09 WWM Crew: I have a valentini puffer named Stanley. He is roughly 4 years old. He is normally a very happy, social fish but this morning he is acting a little strange. He is swimming in a vertical position. He is literally swimming around the tank with his nose pointed toward the sky. In addition, he has a gray swelling on his ventral side, just anterior to his anal fin. (Looks like he is constipated???) <Hmm... no, not as such; rather, looks simply very underweight. He looks a prime candidate for the quarantine tank, where I'd be fattening him up on a rich diversity of seafood: squid, prawn, cockle, scallop, even small bits of white fish. Most anything from the Sushi bar will do, but do remember not to overdo things rich in thiaminase, as these can cause long term problems: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_1/thiaminase.htm So while prawns and mussels are good sources of protein, balance them out with seafood that doesn't contain thiaminase, such as cockles and squid. Since you've had him a while, an obvious couple of questions to ask is how much he's been eating, and what have you been giving him?> As he swims around the tank his posterior end bumps into things. Also he seems to be sitting on rocks. Granted, I have seen him sleep before, but he never rests on rocks in the middle of the day. Maybe it could even be considered rubbing. He has what looks like gray spots on the right and left side of his beak. From my reading, that seems to be stress lines. <Colour looks about right, he's just rather "bony", so underlying structures like muscles may be more obvious.> Stanley was just transferred into the tank two weeks ago. No problems, mushrooms and other fish doing fine. I have a goby and a bulldozer shrimp in the tank with him (they get along okay, and the other fish appear to be fine, although i don't see them very often.) The tank dined on bloodworms last night. <Bloodworms aren't really the ideal thing for Canthigaster puffers, though they like them, and really do need a richer, more marine-based diet. I'd be looking more towards krill, mysids, chopped cockle, minced squid, and other such frozen marine foods. Conversely, brine shrimp, though widely offered, contain virtually no useful nutrition, being almost entirely "fibre". Puffers also need some greens, whether Sushi Nori, blanched lettuce, or even cooked peas and algae wafers (puffers generally enjoy these last two items). Puffers that don't "get their greens" may well be prone to vitamin deficiency, and at the very least, we know they can't synthesise the toxins for which they're famous. I know Bob recommends the use of vitamin additives to meaty foods (brands such as Selcon) and that may be as good a way as any to ensure an optimal diet for those opportunistic, omnivorous fish we call Puffers.> Stanley is pretty awesome, hate to have anything happen to him. What do you think is up, and can i do anything to help him? Thank you! Amy <Do read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tobyfdgfaqs.htm Cheers, Neale.> Re: Valentini Puffer Problem - 07/03/09 Thanks for the help... <My pleasure.> I knew at one time that he was larger in the belly, but was told that I was overfeeding him. <Puffers generally are "big eaters" that thrive best when given "a little, but often". Their mode of swimming isn't very efficient, and they are rather active, so I guess they use up those calories faster than many other fish of similar size.> I will go buy him some seafood today. Won't be too hard as I am in south Louisiana. <Indeed.> I don't have a quarantine tank, would it be okay to leave him with the goby and bulldozer shrimp? or does he present a clear and present danger to them? <He'll likely ignore the goby, assuming the goby spends most of its time hidden. As for the shrimp, it's always a gamble with puffers; shrimps are dinner, but the larger species may be robust enough not to be viewed as edible. If he hasn't bothered the shrimp thus far, you're probably fine. Conversely, it's hard to imagine the goby or the shrimp competing too strongly against the puffer at feeding time.> Thanks again for the advice. I doubt I would have any fish without the help of your website. Amy <Good luck, Neale.>

starved

Re: Sterlet Sick? - 07/03/09
Hi yet again...Thank you so much for all of your help with my Sterlet. He thanks you, too. The fish that I mentioned in my previous mail that you couldn't find on Google is actually called Bangana behri. I spelled it incorrectly last time.
<I see.>
It's a large, strange carp. From what I am reading, probably too large.
<If in doubt, Fishbase!
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/speciessummary.php?id=16212Yes, at 60 cm, this would be of questionable value as an aquarium fish, let alone a companion for a *coldwater* fish like a Sturgeon. Though best kept alone, in a sufficiently large aquarium, coldwater carp-type fish around 20-30 cm in length would make good companions. Hardy Goldfish, young Koi, Tench and so on are all obvious choices.>
I bought some Mysis today, and some krill. We'll try those. Thanks again.
--Peter
<Good luck, Neale.>

Re: Are my hitchhiker sea stars dangerous? - 07/03/09
Thank you Neale for your response. It was very good news and a weight off of my mind.
Thanks Again,
Hailey
<Happy to have helped! Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Restocking Following Bluechin Trigger Death - 07/03/09
Thank you for your prompt reply, Eric.
<<Quite welcome Chris>>
The first Bluechin trigger was from LiveAquaria. I don't remember if it was of Hawaiian origin, but they seem to have decent quality livestock (my tang, angel, Siganus, and Dottyback were also purchased from LiveAquaria).
<<Ah yes, I do agree…one of the better venders re>>
The second trigger was purchased at my LFS, and I admit their quality is inconsistent.
<<Likely taking what they can get-where they can get it>>
I did notice this trigger had slightly cloudy eyes when I first bought it, but since it was very active and eating well, I wasn’t concerned at the time.
<<Hmm…>>
As to adding another fish: The purple tang and the flame angel are definitely the "alpha dogs" of the tank.
<<I would think so>>
However, there are adequate caves/hiding places within the rockwork (2 structures on opposite ends of the tank) to prevent any serious bullying.
<<Does help…as does keeping everyone well fed>>
I'm also thinking of adding another 75+ lbs of live rock.
<<Do be careful not to overly restrict swimming/growing space>>
Your suggestion of the C. strigosus was one I considered before (also C. truncatus), but I’d read they were peaceful,
<<Mmm, relatively speaking maybe…don’t know that I’d class any tang as “peaceful”>>
and therefore might not be able to hold its own against the purple tang.
<<The purple Tang would likely “take-out” any other tang it had a mind to, regardless of the new addition’s aggressive nature…but I’m thinking a specimen of a smaller size and a different genus may have a chance. After the Purple lets it know who’s boss, of course>>
Alternatively, the A. japonicus you suggested would appeal to me, too.
<<A superb aquarium species>>
By the way, I looked on LiveAquaria and they identify A. japonicas as “powder brown tang” and A. nigricans as “white cheek tang”. At WWM, it’s the reverse.
<<Just goes to show the problem with “common” names…and why I try to not use them, at least not exclusively, when recommending fishes>>
I know Bob’s book says the white cheek is hardier, no?
<<A. japonicus, yes…not A. nigricans>>
With regards to angels, would another Centropyge say, acanthops, eibli, argi, or flavissimus be incompatible with the flame?
<<I have kept C. loricula and C. flavissimus in the same tank (and do consider the latter the best choice of those listed)…that’s no guarantee, but I think you would have a good chance for success re in your 6-ft tank>>
When you say small chance of introducing another dwarf, are we talking, like, 10% chance of success?
<<Mmm…upon reflection, I think I would give you a 50-50 chance here>>
Are there any Thalassoma sp. wrasses that wouldn’t be a direct threat to the coral banded shrimp?
<<Not in my opinion…at least eventually>>
In lieu of an anemone, I was contemplating soft and/or LPS corals in this tank down the
road as well, possibly as a test,
<<Would be better suited to your existing lighting>>
I could frag a couple from my coral tank and place it in the 125 to see if they get chewed by the Foxface or flame angel. Your thoughts?
<<There’s always the exception, but I have always found both fishes to be fairly well behaved re. Again…that “well fed” thing>>
Regards,
Chris
<<Keep me posted… EricR>>

Valentini puffer venom? – 07/04/09
Hello,
<Hi Wendy.>
I thought I'd done my research on the valentini puffer and just purchased a tiny little specimen to add to my 50 gal tank, but have just found an article calling the valentini venomous, and wondering in what sense? I did read that they are poisonous to eat, and have not planned on eating it, or putting it with aggressive fishes, so thought that would not be a problem.
<You are absolutely right.>
But, is the little cutie dangerous to handle in the tank, say if I'm putting my arm in and he bites me?
<No problem. A bite can be painful and may easily become infected, but there is no venom transferred into your body. However, it is true puffers have toxins such as Tetrodotoxin and are very poisonous when eaten.>
Thank you for your help! Wendy
<Welcome. Marco.>

Freshwater Community Tank  7/4/09
Dear Wet Web Media Crew,
<Hello,>
I find this site very helping and thank you for the same. anyway i would come to my question straight - I am from eastern part of India and have a semi-tropical climate (min. 5 degree C in winter and max. 36 degree C in summer). i have a 60 gallon tank which i have got recently and is under cycle..i hope to get a cycled tank around august end. As a starter fish i have 5 fancy goldfish which i will return to their owner after cycling as i wanna
<...I want to...>
make a tropical tank.
<Wouldn't have selected Fancy Goldfish for "cycling" a new tank...
Now i see in WWM articles that goldfish and tropical fish r
<...are...>
not compatible..but my main doubt is that. all these fancy goldfish AND angels and guppies and mollies and goramies etc etc are raised and bred here by local dealers in pond water of SAME TEMPARATURE...
<Quite often the case in the subtropics.>
they use very large concrete tanks as i saw..so in that case may i keep some tropical fish with my sweet fancy fantail goldfishes. as the temperature issue seems insignificant here, doenn't it
<...doesn't it...>
plz
<...please...>
tell me if its possible to keep them keeping in mind the aggression issue only and if yes what species should i keep..
<Since your locally-bred Goldfish will be used to warm water, then yes, they will do fine at up to, say, 25 degrees C for extended periods. The lethal temperature for Goldfish is reported as 41 degrees C at Fishbase, but they do much better at middling temperatures, around 15-24 degrees C, and the warmer the water, the more critical good filtration and water circulation become. Warm summer temperatures are tolerated much better if they're accompanied with cooler winter temperatures, and I'd expect your climate in subtropical India to be just about perfect. On the other hand, tropical fish don't do well if the temperature drops below a certain point, typically below 20 degrees C, though this varies. Certain subtropical species such as Danios, many Barbs, and Peppered and Bronze Corydoras catfish thoroughly enjoy seasonal variations, and temperatures below 15 degrees C in winter will cause them no problems at all. Do use a heater though; if you have a subtropical climate, and try to keep tropical species at room temperature, you're likely to end up with stressed or sick fish.
The heater will switch itself off most of the time, but during the winter, it'll switch on, and keep your fish nice and warm.>
as i learned GF will turn large over time?
<Yes.>
thnx
<...Thanks...>
again for ur kind help :-)
--
Deeptam
<Most welcome. Do please try to avoid English that looks like it was written by an American teenager; how about copying us British Imperialists instead? Cheers, Neale.>

Round Belly Cowfish question  7/4/09
Hello from Japan!
<Konichiiwa!>
I caught a round belly
<Lactoria diaphana? Grows to some 18"...>
a couple of months back and have
him in my aquarium with a lionfish.
<Might pick on this...>
It is a very smart, curious character
that took to hand feeding and prepared foods easily . To spiff up the tank
I have been considering adding an elegance coral, but due to the curious nature of the cowfish and its voracious appetite I am a little concerned.
Do you think the cowfish will munch on the coral?
<Possibly>
There is not much data
about the round belly, so I figured it time to ask the experts.
Regards,
James Miller
Okayama, Japan
<D'oh tashiite mashiite. Bob Fenner>

Acropora I'd   7/4/09 Hello crew, <Kiet> First off, I hope you guys/gals have a happy and safe 4th. <Thus far...> On to my question, I recently purchased a starter colony of this Acropora and was wondering if you could help I'd it. My initial guesses are that it is either an Acropora valida <Mmm... maybe this, or A. tenuis, or...?> or Staghorn. <? The common name for the family?> The first picture is of the colony and the second is a close up of a frag I took off of it. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you, Kiet <Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/acropt2.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>