Watanabies or Blackspot Swallowtails

ReefGirlSara · 12/08/2007, 12:00 PM

I still can't decide if I want to get a pair of watanabies, or a pair of blackspots for my 90. I asked a while back in the reef fish forum, and I got a good recommendation for both of them, and the more I think about it I just can't make up my mind.

Maybe if some of you have either of them you could tell me a little about their personalities and growth rate and friendliness with other fish (I will have Lyretail Anthiases and a chocolate (mimic) tang.) Also, if you have pictures that would be nice too, I have never seen either in person, and I've seen a couple nice pics of both. Any info to help me make up my mind will be great.

Thanks!

ReefGirlSara · 12/11/2007, 01:01 PM

anybody out there have an opinion on these fish?

mushnmeesh · 12/11/2007, 02:43 PM

I have a female wantnabe and love it! I'm looking for a smallish male now to pair her with. She is always swiming in the open and is very social.

Besides wantnabes look awsome.

ReefGirlSara · 12/11/2007, 08:00 PM

mushnmeesh - thanks!! Do you have any pics of your female?

Roy G. Biv · 12/11/2007, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mushnmeesh
I have a female wantnabe and love it! I'm looking for a smallish male now to pair her with. She is always swiming in the open and is very social.

Besides wantnabes look awsome.

Ditto!

BangkokMatt · 12/11/2007, 10:22 PM

I have a pair of blackspots and they are the centerpiece of my tank IMO. They get on with all other fish and don't pick at corals. My male is about 7 inches and female about 4.
I will post pics later as I am supossed to be working now ha ha!
I highly recommend them!

ReefGirlSara · 12/11/2007, 10:34 PM

pmolan- what an awesome pic of your female!!

BangkokMatt- I'd love to see your blackspots! I haven't really gotten to talk to anyone that has a pair so as much info as you can share would be awesome.

Same goes with the watanabies too- I have heard they are finicky eaters, and I've heard the blackspots are prone to disease - does anyone have an opinion on that stuff?

jay2525 · 12/11/2007, 10:40 PM

both are prone to disease initially....quarantine them and either will do fine. once acclimated they are great. i like the blackspots a little better just because as a pair they look sooo different, yet elegantly nice with the long tail filaments.

BangkokMatt · 12/11/2007, 10:42 PM

The Blackspots a pretty hardy IME. Mine have never caused me any concern at all. They eat anything and start eating quickly. My female was added first and she was out all the time. When I added the male he hung around in a cave for a week and since then has been out continuously. He's a beast - my biggest fish!
The pair generally get on well but he does occassionally show her whose boss at feeding times by showing a few gestures.
Have you read this article on Genicanthus
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/hcs3/index.php

mushnmeesh · 12/11/2007, 10:43 PM

Mine will eat anything, here is a photo of her (not a great pic)

s0hcsleeper · 12/11/2007, 10:56 PM

Watanabe are very docile and under the right lighting look amazing, like pearl white. Every time I looked at mine she seemed to give me "puppy dog" look, very adorable. They are also smaller compared to other G. species which you may want to take into consideration because of your 90g tank.

The Blackspot or Female Swallowtail has some of the nicest colors I have seen on a fish. Especially the turquoise near the tail. The males also have that amazing striped pattern with orange running up top...look almost like a tiger. I was also able to reach my hand in and pet my female swallowtail. She would just lay up on her side and let me pet her and push her around. She must have thought I was a cleaner shrimp or something...ahha

I've paired both together before and both were females. At first there was a little aggression, but after a week they paired up and the larger swallowtail adopted the role of Male. They started exhibit mating behavior also. Really amazing stuff.

Female on Female ACTION!!!

Any choice you make you will have no regrets..both are awesome G species to have.

harryk · 12/11/2007, 10:59 PM

Watanabe is a deeper water species and are usually have swim bladder issues due to poor acclimation at capture. Just be wary about buying one. It usually doesn't show up for a little while, usually after being purchased. Just my experience i lost it after 2 weeks in QT. I would definately buy another one though. but i would watch it at the LFS before buying

Harry

ReefGirlSara · 12/17/2007, 02:37 PM

Thank you everyone for the replies!! One LFS was just telling me that he can get me two juveniles, and one of them will turn into a male, does anyone have any experience with this? I'm worried that if they are too young they might have health issues...?

hahnmeister · 12/17/2007, 03:05 PM

Id go with watanabei, but as is mentioned... swim-bladder problems seem common. Just find a good dealer... one that has gotten them in the past perhaps so they know they are okay before you have to find out the hard way. I know the watanabeis that come in through the wholesellers Quality Marine and SeaDwelling Creatures are okay, for instance. So try to get a LFS that orders through them (or live aquaria, they get their stuff through QM).

Otherwise, there are also Bellus.

Something that nobody has mentioned though... these angelfish, despite having a reputation of being reef safe, CAN nip at polyps, Zoas, and LPS. So keep an eye on them and keep them well fed. I had a Lamarck's that went native and has been eating Zoas ever since. My advice would be to put them in a tank where an occasional nip wont bother anything. But putting them in a smaller tank where you have some smaller corals just starting out might be a bit risky.

12/08/2007, 12:00 PM	#1
ReefGirlSara Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Archer, FL Posts: 709	Watanabies or Blackspot Swallowtails I still can't decide if I want to get a pair of watanabies, or a pair of blackspots for my 90. I asked a while back in the reef fish forum, and I got a good recommendation for both of them, and the more I think about it I just can't make up my mind. Maybe if some of you have either of them you could tell me a little about their personalities and growth rate and friendliness with other fish (I will have Lyretail Anthiases and a chocolate (mimic) tang.) Also, if you have pictures that would be nice too, I have never seen either in person, and I've seen a couple nice pics of both. Any info to help me make up my mind will be great. Thanks!

12/11/2007, 10:22 PM	#6
BangkokMatt Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Krung Thep Posts: 3,100	I have a pair of blackspots and they are the centerpiece of my tank IMO. They get on with all other fish and don't pick at corals. My male is about 7 inches and female about 4. I will post pics later as I am supossed to be working now ha ha! I highly recommend them! __________________ I've spent a lot of money on booze, women and fish. The rest I just squandered. Current Tank Info: 150g sps Reef (now FOWLR after a devastating crash due to chiller) , 2x400w MH (Icecap ballast, Lumenmax 2, Reeflux 12k SE), Deltec AP701, Grotech Tec III, Chiller, 2 x Tunze 6101, 1 x 6205 (+ m/c), bla bla

12/11/2007, 10:42 PM	#9
BangkokMatt Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Krung Thep Posts: 3,100	The Blackspots a pretty hardy IME. Mine have never caused me any concern at all. They eat anything and start eating quickly. My female was added first and she was out all the time. When I added the male he hung around in a cave for a week and since then has been out continuously. He's a beast - my biggest fish! The pair generally get on well but he does occassionally show her whose boss at feeding times by showing a few gestures. Have you read this article on Genicanthus http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/hcs3/index.php __________________ I've spent a lot of money on booze, women and fish. The rest I just squandered. Current Tank Info: 150g sps Reef (now FOWLR after a devastating crash due to chiller) , 2x400w MH (Icecap ballast, Lumenmax 2, Reeflux 12k SE), Deltec AP701, Grotech Tec III, Chiller, 2 x Tunze 6101, 1 x 6205 (+ m/c), bla bla

12/11/2007, 10:56 PM	#11
s0hcsleeper Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: New Tampa Posts: 78	Watanabe are very docile and under the right lighting look amazing, like pearl white. Every time I looked at mine she seemed to give me "puppy dog" look, very adorable. They are also smaller compared to other G. species which you may want to take into consideration because of your 90g tank. The Blackspot or Female Swallowtail has some of the nicest colors I have seen on a fish. Especially the turquoise near the tail. The males also have that amazing striped pattern with orange running up top...look almost like a tiger. I was also able to reach my hand in and pet my female swallowtail. She would just lay up on her side and let me pet her and push her around. She must have thought I was a cleaner shrimp or something...ahha I've paired both together before and both were females. At first there was a little aggression, but after a week they paired up and the larger swallowtail adopted the role of Male. They started exhibit mating behavior also. Really amazing stuff. Female on Female ACTION!!! Any choice you make you will have no regrets..both are awesome G species to have. Last edited by s0hcsleeper; 12/11/2007 at 11:16 PM.

12/11/2007, 01:01 PM	#2
ReefGirlSara Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Archer, FL Posts: 709	anybody out there have an opinion on these fish?

12/11/2007, 02:43 PM	#3
mushnmeesh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Southfield, MI Posts: 91	I have a female wantnabe and love it! I'm looking for a smallish male now to pair her with. She is always swiming in the open and is very social. Besides wantnabes look awsome.

12/11/2007, 08:00 PM	#4
ReefGirlSara Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Archer, FL Posts: 709	mushnmeesh - thanks!! Do you have any pics of your female?

12/11/2007, 10:34 PM	#7
ReefGirlSara Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Archer, FL Posts: 709	pmolan- what an awesome pic of your female!! BangkokMatt- I'd love to see your blackspots! I haven't really gotten to talk to anyone that has a pair so as much info as you can share would be awesome. Same goes with the watanabies too- I have heard they are finicky eaters, and I've heard the blackspots are prone to disease - does anyone have an opinion on that stuff?

12/11/2007, 10:40 PM	#8
jay2525 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: SoCal Posts: 755	both are prone to disease initially....quarantine them and either will do fine. once acclimated they are great. i like the blackspots a little better just because as a pair they look sooo different, yet elegantly nice with the long tail filaments.

12/11/2007, 10:43 PM	#10
mushnmeesh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Southfield, MI Posts: 91	Mine will eat anything, here is a photo of her (not a great pic)

12/11/2007, 10:59 PM	#12
harryk Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 262	Watanabe is a deeper water species and are usually have swim bladder issues due to poor acclimation at capture. Just be wary about buying one. It usually doesn't show up for a little while, usually after being purchased. Just my experience i lost it after 2 weeks in QT. I would definately buy another one though. but i would watch it at the LFS before buying Harry

12/17/2007, 02:37 PM	#13
ReefGirlSara Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Archer, FL Posts: 709	Thank you everyone for the replies!! One LFS was just telling me that he can get me two juveniles, and one of them will turn into a male, does anyone have any experience with this? I'm worried that if they are too young they might have health issues...?

12/17/2007, 03:05 PM	#14
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Id go with watanabei, but as is mentioned... swim-bladder problems seem common. Just find a good dealer... one that has gotten them in the past perhaps so they know they are okay before you have to find out the hard way. I know the watanabeis that come in through the wholesellers Quality Marine and SeaDwelling Creatures are okay, for instance. So try to get a LFS that orders through them (or live aquaria, they get their stuff through QM). Otherwise, there are also Bellus. Something that nobody has mentioned though... these angelfish, despite having a reputation of being reef safe, CAN nip at polyps, Zoas, and LPS. So keep an eye on them and keep them well fed. I had a Lamarck's that went native and has been eating Zoas ever since. My advice would be to put them in a tank where an occasional nip wont bother anything. But putting them in a smaller tank where you have some smaller corals just starting out might be a bit risky.