Triggerfishes for  Marine Aquariums Diversity, Selection & Care New eBook on Amazon: Available here New Print Book on Create Space: Available here by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Picasso and Ricordea Directions for stocking new mixed reef/fish/invert system 4-3-08 Hey Guys, <<Joshua.>> Got a few questions for you: <<Okay.>> First, I am planning over the next couple months to get my 80 gal reef tank up and running with a 4-5" DSB and live rock. I wanted to run my possible fish ideas by you and see if you saw any major conflicts. <<Okay.>> 1-2 Yellowheaded Jawfish, a couple neon gobies, a couple Falcula Butterflies, <<I would not go with more than one.>> 1-2 fairy wrasse and the real iffys---a hippo tang <<Skip the latter in this size tank.>> and a really small Picasso Trigger. <<I foresee possible aggression/predation issues in the long term 'particularly with the more benthic fish, like the Jawfish and the goby.>> The game plan is to let everything settle in their nooks for a while before thinking about adding the tang and/or trigger. <<I would forget about the former and reconsider the latter, at least perhaps a different species. For any trigger 80 gallons is pushing it to be honest, I would not feel comfortable letting an adult live out his life in this size a tank 'especially with other tank mates.>> There will be lots of nooks and crannies for fish to hide in my aquascape. <<'¦..If your trigger doesn't rearrange it as he ages, hehe.>> I don't know much yet about the hippo tang, <<I encourage you to research it, by all means gain knowledge, but in the end I would surmise you too will see it is not a good match for your aquarium.>> but according to what I've read, the Picasso wont really harm my reef as they feed mostly on shrimp and stuff. how reliable is that if I am diligent to keep it fed and healthy? <<As far as predatory behavior goes, the trigger would much rather have crustaceans, bivalves and slow moving fish over cnidarians. However, this does not exclude them from 'playing' with or abusing your Cnidarian life by attacking/moving them directly or the underlying rockwork. In particular if you get into stony corals it may use them as a dog uses a dried bone. The point? There is a risk.>> Will he or the tang try to eat any corals I would like to add? <<The tang? Not very likely, the trigger? See above.>> Second, my tank is 21" deep counting the DSB and according to my math, I am totally unsure whether I should wait and invest in metal halide or stay with power compact. <<Either way I would not go with PowerCompact, the design of the bulb itself is somewhat flawed for this application. The bent back on itself design literally causes the bulb to cook itself, and the lumens depreciate very quickly. This means you would have to replace the bulbs every 6 to 9 months for optimal par ratings. Besides that, aesthetically, they don't produce the color that T-5HO or VHO produce. If you go the route of florescent lighting look into T-5 HO. As far as what lighting I would pick for you? It really depends on the targeted photosynthetic, Zooxanthellae hosting animals you plan to keep.>> I would like to have both SPS and LPS eventually but would around 550 watts from 4 x 64 watt power compact be ok? <<See my above comments re:. Look into Sanjay Joshi Articles for an in depth look. For what you are aiming for a think x2, 150 watt DE MH would be good, supplemented by T-5HO fluorescents. HOWEVER, that is a VERY general guide, please research diligently and pick a lighting system that best matches.>> Lastly, I have a beautiful Ricordea floridae that has grown green/blue and beautiful. Recently I accidentally acquired an annoying white sponge with a hair like crown that is multiplying like crazy. A large one was growing on rock under my Ricordea so I used a pair of Needlenose to gently lift up its size and pull out the sponge. Now my Ricordea has folded in half away from that side and has stayed like that for a month now. Tried relocating just leaving it alone but nothing has changed it. What should I do? <<Sponges like corals, are very adept in secreting allopathic compounds, Best you can do is provide optimal water parameters and run some extra carbon.>> Thanks for all your help! Its priceless! <<Welcome.>> Josh <<Adam J.>>

Albino Rhinecanthus rectangulus?   - 5/18/07 Hi there <Hello> I don't own a tank, this is a general question about a tropical reef fish. I've searched the web and can't find an answer to my question. I even tried the University of Hawaii websites and came up empty. I just got back from Oahu, and I saw an albino Rhinecanthus rectangulus. <Wow! Neat! Is now the official Humu Humu... Don Ho R.I.P.... have seen this species many times in the wild... NEVER heard of an albino specimen! Might have been a xanthic variant, or just a very-washed-out specimen...> My husband snorkeled thru the same area a few minutes later and said he saw it too, so I guess it was a real sighting. How common are albinos of this species? Do you have any idea? <I am Bcc'ing the world's pre-eminent systematic ichthyologist Dr. John/Jack Randall here re... in the hopes he will respond re... He is "in your town"... at the Bernice P. Bishop... Jack, have you ever encountered a true albino Balistid specimen? Bob Fenner> Thanks, Linda Brennan
Re: Albino Rhinecanthus rectangulus?   - 5/18/07 Bob: <Dr. R> No, I have not heard of an albino R. rectangulus  Or for that matter of any Balistid. <Me neither...> Did you receive the discount order form I sent for my new Hawaiian fish book? <No... please do... in fact, if you would, and if it's available, will you send along a notice of what the new title is, how it may be ordered? And I'll post it on our site.>   I will send a form to Linda Brennan. Aloha, Jack <Thank you my friend. A hu'i hou! Bob Fenner>
Re: Albino Rhinecanthus rectangulus?   - 5/18/07 Thank you so much for responding!! The mystery deepens. Yes, the Humuhumu did have a "washed out" appearance. The markings which are normally black were a light purple color. <Ahh, the color is indicative of this NOT being an albino...> One characteristic that stands out in my mind is that across the top of it's head, (above the eyes) was a more striking color - a bluish/violet color. (This was above the eyes, NOT above the mouth.)  The fish was only about 7 or 8 inches long. Hope these extra tidbits help. Linda <Perhaps a slight genetic variant as previously mentioned... I do wish you had a camera, taken pix of it. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Assasi Triggerfish I have seen many pictures of this trigger and in every picture the trigger has bright orange eyes.  I was in my local fish store and they had an Assasi Triggerfish it was about 2 - 3 inches long and it didn't have the bright orange eyes I have seen in the photos, do you have any ideas why that would be? <Mmm, when they're small the eyes lack this coloring. Please see here on FishBase: http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.cfm?ID=25420> The owner said it was from the Red Sea.  He said maybe it will get the color in its eyes as it gets older is this true? <Oh! Yes. Bob Fenner> Thank You

- Assasi Coloration - My question is about the Assasi Triggerfish.  I have seen pictures of this fish and it is so beautiful with the orange eyes and the green body. I was in a fish store the other day and they had one but it didn't have orange eyes and it had a white body. Does the color of this fish depend on where it is from? <It can vary... and sometimes just due to mood, but more often due to locale.> Because I hear they are from the Red Sea and other places. <Yes, Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.> Could the fish I seen be from some other place instead on the Red Sea giving it another color? <Possible.> Thank You
<Cheers, J -- >

Triggerfishes for  Marine Aquariums Diversity, Selection & Care New eBook on Amazon: Available here New Print Book on Create Space: Available here by Robert (Bob) Fenner