Fish species
Dear Bob,
I have two questions regarding two of my fish. I like to know as much as possible about my fish, and I love details.
<Good for you, your livestock, the planet>
First, I have a Foxface rabbit (Lo vulpinis) that is now 5". (He was only 2 1/2" when I got him 8 months ago). He looks just like the pictures, with one exception; instead of having a solid yellow body, he has a big black polka-dot on his butt--well, near his tail where his butt would be if he had one. Sometimes the black extends from his head to his tail in one bar, but usually just the dot. Is he a Lo vulpinis from a different area or is he something else?
<Possibly. Take a look through the coverage of the Rabbitfishes (family Siganidae) presented with images on the site: www.WetWebMedia.com... the Foxface does exhibit regional variability and change in pattern with age/growth... but this could be a similar species>
Second, I bought a beautiful little fish identified to me as a rainbow goby. It's about 2" long and has a body build and movement identical to a juvenile convict blenny. Its coloring is striking red and yellow neon stripe on a white body and dark pelvic line. I was told it would grow up to be the size of my convicts, who are 6" now. I got this little fish almost 3 weeks ago. He immediately disappeared and I gave him up for gone, only to have him reappear 9 days later. Since then I've only seen him 4 times and only for about 5 minutes each time. So you think he'll ever stay out or is he a permanent hidey-fish? Do you have any info on this guy?
<Don't know this fish... and similar to Pholidichthys leucotaenia? (the Convict "Blenny")... which are one of my favorite species... very outgoing... But, yes, most Gobies (a huge assemblage, likely the largest family of fishes...) are shy, retiring... and this one will likely become only a bit more outgoing with time... and not grow very fast or much compared with the Convicts. Bob Fenner>
Thanks, Linda

Species figured out
Dear Bob,
Several days ago I wrote you asking to help me identify a fish the LFS called a rainbow goby. Unfortunately the description I gave you was from memory (I'd only seen this fish 4 times since acquiring him 3 weeks ago), and rather inaccurate. His body is much like a young convict blenny; he has a narrow neon blue stripe running from the top of his head to his tail, and a beautiful orange and yellow stripe lengthwise on his white body.
A different LFS that I went to this morning had the big encyclopedia and I found a picture of this guy. It's Gunnelichthys curiosus, and they call it a yellow-striped worm-eel. Perfect description! I still don't know much, except that it's a sand burrower and probably eats sand dwelling life. So he should be OK, as I have live sand and live rock in my 100 gal. but I'll feel better when I see him eat prepared food.
<Neat, and congratulations on the i.d.... Have never seen this fish in the wild or captivity myself (one of thousands...), about all I could find quickly is:
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=12677&genusname=
Gunnelichthys&speciesname=curiosus
You can cut/paste... This is a microdesmid... like other Dart Gobies it's shy, dives into holes in the bottom, eats mainly zoo-plankton, small fishes...>
Thought I'd share this with you. Finally finding out what something is gives me a sort of high. Almost, but not quite, like a marine biologist discovering a new species.:>)
Linda
<Oh yes... a delight. Things learned from personal experience innumerably more satisfying than second hand (books, Teevee, even the NET! Bob Fenner>