Might Have To Build A House Around A Tank For These Guys...

[dredgy]

Was in Dubai a couple of days ago for work and was staying at the Atlantis hotel, which has some of the nicest fish tanks set up that I've ever seen.
 
I didn't take many pictures since I've been there a few times before and didn't bring a proper camera, but there were some great fish I'd love to have a set up for.
 
1. Wels catfish. This guy was at least 6 foot long, probably close to 8. Kept in a tank with some giant gouramis, so big catfish I don't know and....neon tetras (which for scaling reasons were impossible to get into the picture).
 

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2. Queensland Grouper. Possibly my favourite fish in existence (tied with Potato Cod). Where I grew up (Yeppoon if it rings a bell to anyone) there used to be a small school of these off the coast that had been there for 20 years or more and had been used to humans - the biggest ones were 6 foot plus and massive - but you could hand feed them, give them belly rubs and they were always there to snorkel with in really shallow water. Until someone spear fished them all.
 
Anyway, it was nice to see them again. There were about 5 in this tank that were all very mature adults and would've weighed a few hundred kilos. There were also plenty of smaller ones in the hotels main tank. Made me feel slightly guilty about having grouper for dinner the night before.
 

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3. ???. I've dived and snorkelled a lot all around the world, plus extensive reading and I have no idea what this is. It was in a seahorse tank if it helps, I'd really like to know what it is. Kinda looks like a puffer.
 

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But yea - I recommend anyone who is in Dubai for a bit to spend a night or two at Atlantis, or at the very least just check out the aquarium there (and go for dinner at the underwater restaurant). Lovely spot.
 
 
 

 

[Sophie]

Is it a Mandarin Goby?
 
EDIT: I'm rubbish with marine btw.

 

[dredgy]

EDIT: I'm rubbish with marine btw.

 
Obviously not. It does appear to be a Mandarin Dragonet or Mandarin fish. Never seen them before - such awesome looking fish/

 

[Sophie]

 

EDIT: I'm rubbish with marine btw.

 
Obviously not. It does appear to be a Mandarin Dragonet or Mandarin fish. Never seen them before - such awesome looking fish/
 

 
Oh wow I was right 

 

We have them in my LFS and they caught my eye so I think that's why it stuck just wasn't sure with the colour match, they are gorgeous!

 

[kevingrods]

yeh i love those fish.  Did you go skiing when your were there?

 

[dredgy]

Not this time. I did my first time in Dubai (snow-skiing that is, never been water skiing there).
 
I didn't leave the hotel this time as I was working there - but I did the dolphin scuba dive, the shark walk and snorkeling in the main tank, 

 

[kevingrods]

wow your a very lucky.  I wish i had a cool job that would put me in a cool place like that

 

[dredgy]

I do get to go to some cool places, which I'm grateful for, but it's not all 7 star resorts in Dubai - I've spent weeks living with nomads in Mauritania, in mountains in Kyrgyzstan as well as in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and the Congo. 
My actual job is tediously boring, though there is a lot more gunfire than I would've thought going in.
 
But it does take me places and, in this case, places with awesome fish.