Who is this guy?????

MV_ReEfLoVer · 07/06/2007, 07:54 AM

I bought some live rock from the lfs jus yesterday.
I ended up having this cool hitchhacker!!!
any ideas what he could be?????

he is abt 2.5 inches

(im suprised how he survived the 45 min. trip!!)

chaseracing · 07/06/2007, 08:10 AM

nice hitchhiker!!!!!!! Lucky you.

it looks like a psuedochromis of some kind. The eye gives it away. Those guys love to hide in the holes of the rocks. I inadvertantly gave one to a fellow reefer because I sold the rock that he was hiding in.

Good score!

camocustom · 07/06/2007, 08:11 AM

definatley a dottyback

Sparty00 · 07/06/2007, 08:12 AM

It looks like a light-spotted fairy wrasse, but could be psuedochromis.

Very nice hitchhiker!!

theop · 07/06/2007, 08:14 AM

It looks like a pseudochromis, but I don't know which species. But it's not one of common types I've seen at the LFS.

scowiii · 07/06/2007, 08:31 AM

Yup its a very nice dotted wrasse.

UnderCoverDork · 07/06/2007, 08:32 AM

cool, hope it is reef-safe or not real mean

scowiii · 07/06/2007, 08:47 AM

Most Wrasses are reef safe.

camocustom · 07/06/2007, 08:47 AM

well they are reef safe, but sometimes can get territorial, i had a neon dottyback once, he was a mean little snot!

Bebo77 · 07/06/2007, 08:52 AM

man you have some nasty algae....

LuvFox118 · 07/06/2007, 09:03 AM

It looks like a Pseudochromis steenei, but I can't tell if it really is a lyretail. It's probably the meanest of the dottybacks. Then again, you never know. I have an orchid who is the sweetest lil fish ever.

stanlalee · 07/06/2007, 09:04 AM

pseudochromidae/dottyback. definately not a wrasse. you'd think with a coloration like that it would be easy to identify the species but I sure cant. many dottyback species have multiple color variations which doesn't make it any easier. Looks like it could be one of the australian dottybacks, perhaps Ogilbyina novaehollandiae.
whatever species it is unless you have a large tank (6ft or more) and lots of rock once its established expect it to terrorize any fish remotely close in size and anything added after. I've seen them make their territory a piece of coral or rock in the middle of the tank and make 3 tangs five times its size stop in their tracks and refuse to swim across to the other side of the tank. and not docile tangs either, yellows and purples. Worse than damsels because dottybacks dont take size difference of themself and other fish into consideration nearly as much as damsels (well until damsels get to be a size you cant keep them with anything either). they will attack anything if they are defending a territory. hawkfish, damsels, whatever cant swallow them whole and maybe them too depending on the species.

stanlalee · 07/06/2007, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LuvFox118
It looks like a Pseudochromis steenei, but I can't tell if it really is a lyretail. It's probably the meanest of the dottybacks. Then again, you never know. I have an orchid who is the sweetest lil fish ever.

the color is right but the tail is all wrong for a Steenei aka lyretail. tail looks rounded in the pic.

fridmani (orchid)probably the only pseudochromis without a chip on its shoulder. splendid not too bad either but I wouldn't trust one with smaller fish. whatever that is its almost garaunteed to be beligerent.

Travis L. Stevens · 07/06/2007, 09:13 AM

Pseudochromis for sure. Possibly Howson's Dottyback, Spiny Dottyback, or Lyretail Dottyback

LuvFox118 · 07/06/2007, 09:37 AM

i did see the tail, and that is why I said I'm not sure it really is a lyretail. But, it was the best match I could find. Who knows. It could be a mixture. My orchid has a tail that trails off, like a lyretail. It makes her seem even more ribbon-like, but no one would say she isn't a fridmani.

One more to try is Pseudoplesiops wassi.

And yes, the coloring isn't an exact in any fish, but it is a good guide.

The picture also resembles a marshall island dottyback, but it doesnt have enough yellow-ish hue along the fins.

By the way, where is your rock from? This could help narrow it down a bit.

stanlalee · 07/06/2007, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LuvFox118
i did see the tail, and that is why I said I'm not sure it really is a lyretail.

I wasn't trying to imply you were wrong. I was trying to say it looks like a steenei to me as well but if the tail is so distinctual that a common name for it is a lyretail dottyback I'm inclined to believe the tail would be a distinquishing feature to either rule it in or out. the tail on that one is a common shape for some of the other dottybacks but the color screams steenei. who knows, not me?

turnburn · 07/06/2007, 11:22 AM

Very nice! I could only wish for such a hitchhiker! Sure beats Aptaisia.

MV_ReEfLoVer · 07/07/2007, 01:03 PM

I thought he was a grouper at first (from the pattern on his eyes)
he's pretty mean towards his tank mates.

yet unsure what he could be.

Ricepicker · 07/07/2007, 03:33 PM

definately no wrasse, u can tell by the mouth... psuedochromis for sures

similar to a dilectus but with a orange tail eh, what a lucky hitch

if u got it at the LFS, knowing is origin is useless, culda jumped from a tank or from wholesalers tanks etc...

i've seen it before selling for like 40 bucks cdn, what luck you have eh

07/06/2007, 07:54 AM	#1
MV_ReEfLoVer Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Dubai Posts: 76	Who is this guy????? I bought some live rock from the lfs jus yesterday. I ended up having this cool hitchhacker!!! any ideas what he could be????? he is abt 2.5 inches (im suprised how he survived the 45 min. trip!!)

07/06/2007, 08:10 AM	#2
chaseracing Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Bartlett, IL Posts: 1,208	nice hitchhiker!!!!!!! Lucky you. it looks like a psuedochromis of some kind. The eye gives it away. Those guys love to hide in the holes of the rocks. I inadvertantly gave one to a fellow reefer because I sold the rock that he was hiding in. Good score! __________________ I want my dog's life. Current Tank Info: 150gal RR Oceanic - (3) 250w. ReefLux 12K, (2) 96w PC 50/50, (3) Tunze 6025 modded, (3) Tunze 6045's, ASM G3, MRC-1, Melev F sump/fuge, all run off of an Aquacontroller Jr. Mixed Reef w/ lots of Fish and not enough rock.

07/06/2007, 08:11 AM	#3
camocustom Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 166	definatley a dottyback Last edited by camocustom; 07/06/2007 at 08:17 AM.

07/06/2007, 08:52 AM	#10
Bebo77 Premium Nonpaying Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lost Posts: 14,377	man you have some nasty algae.... __________________ Gabriel Current Tank Info: 300 Gal Envision Tank(98Lx30Wx26T) 120 Gal SoCalCreations Sump, Deltec TC2560, 2 LumenarcsMini 1 Reg on a light mover W Radiums 250& 400, Gallaxy ballasts, Red Dragon 10m3 return W/ 2 WavySeas, 2 6155 Tunze streams

07/06/2007, 09:04 AM	#12
stanlalee Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: hampton roads, va Posts: 1,799	pseudochromidae/dottyback. definately not a wrasse. you'd think with a coloration like that it would be easy to identify the species but I sure cant. many dottyback species have multiple color variations which doesn't make it any easier. Looks like it could be one of the australian dottybacks, perhaps Ogilbyina novaehollandiae. whatever species it is unless you have a large tank (6ft or more) and lots of rock once its established expect it to terrorize any fish remotely close in size and anything added after. I've seen them make their territory a piece of coral or rock in the middle of the tank and make 3 tangs five times its size stop in their tracks and refuse to swim across to the other side of the tank. and not docile tangs either, yellows and purples. Worse than damsels because dottybacks dont take size difference of themself and other fish into consideration nearly as much as damsels (well until damsels get to be a size you cant keep them with anything either). they will attack anything if they are defending a territory. hawkfish, damsels, whatever cant swallow them whole and maybe them too depending on the species. Last edited by stanlalee; 07/06/2007 at 09:19 AM.

07/06/2007, 08:12 AM	#4
Sparty00 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Rochester, MI Posts: 272	It looks like a light-spotted fairy wrasse, but could be psuedochromis. Very nice hitchhiker!!

07/06/2007, 08:14 AM	#5
theop Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 1,493	It looks like a pseudochromis, but I don't know which species. But it's not one of common types I've seen at the LFS.

07/06/2007, 08:31 AM	#6
scowiii Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nebraska Posts: 427	Yup its a very nice dotted wrasse.

07/06/2007, 08:32 AM	#7
UnderCoverDork Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit Posts: 429	cool, hope it is reef-safe or not real mean

07/06/2007, 08:47 AM	#8
scowiii Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nebraska Posts: 427	Most Wrasses are reef safe.

07/06/2007, 09:03 AM	#11
LuvFox118 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 19	It looks like a Pseudochromis steenei, but I can't tell if it really is a lyretail. It's probably the meanest of the dottybacks. Then again, you never know. I have an orchid who is the sweetest lil fish ever.

07/06/2007, 09:13 AM	#14
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	Pseudochromis for sure. Possibly Howson's Dottyback, Spiny Dottyback, or Lyretail Dottyback __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

07/06/2007, 09:37 AM	#15
LuvFox118 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 19	i did see the tail, and that is why I said I'm not sure it really is a lyretail. But, it was the best match I could find. Who knows. It could be a mixture. My orchid has a tail that trails off, like a lyretail. It makes her seem even more ribbon-like, but no one would say she isn't a fridmani. One more to try is Pseudoplesiops wassi. And yes, the coloring isn't an exact in any fish, but it is a good guide. The picture also resembles a marshall island dottyback, but it doesnt have enough yellow-ish hue along the fins. By the way, where is your rock from? This could help narrow it down a bit.

07/06/2007, 11:22 AM	#17
turnburn Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Newberg, Oregon, USA Posts: 75	Very nice! I could only wish for such a hitchhiker! Sure beats Aptaisia. __________________ When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. - Leonardo da Vinci Current Tank Info: 55G FOWLR: 40G Sump, CPR Hang On Back Refugium, Maroon Clown, BTA, Yellow Tang, Bi-Color Blennie, Royal Gramma, YW Gobie, Pistol Shrimp, Cleaner Shrimp, Brittle Star, Button & Star Polyps, Xenia. Snails & Hermits. 165G tank in beggining stage

07/07/2007, 01:03 PM	#18
MV_ReEfLoVer Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Dubai Posts: 76	I thought he was a grouper at first (from the pattern on his eyes) he's pretty mean towards his tank mates. yet unsure what he could be.

07/07/2007, 03:33 PM	#19
Ricepicker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hamilton, Ontario Posts: 146	definately no wrasse, u can tell by the mouth... psuedochromis for sures similar to a dilectus but with a orange tail eh, what a lucky hitch if u got it at the LFS, knowing is origin is useless, culda jumped from a tank or from wholesalers tanks etc... i've seen it before selling for like 40 bucks cdn, what luck you have eh __________________ It's because I don't touch it. 25g Mixed reef (36x12x12) 250W 14000K HQI