What Type Of Fish?

[mbu man]

i was browsing our local marine shop today with my girlfriend who happened to spot two fish that she liked. At first i was told they are a type of "pipe fish" and then the shop said they are "cleaner fish".

i've looked on the net and cannot seem to find them Perhaps someone can enlighten me before my other half sneaks out and buys them at £15 each!

They are approximately 1.5 inches long and quite thin, they are black but have three bright yellow thin stripes that run from head to tail (one on either side and one on top. the end of the tail is rounded and has a bright yellow blob of colour in it.

They looked slightly like little eals, with a pointy nose and can stick oln the side of the tank.

Does anybody have any idea what im going on about and provide me with some info on them?

 

[chrissaysyes]

Not pipe fish, those are cleaner wrasse'

A lot of people are big time against collecting these fish as they play a huge role in our oceans. They tend to do well once acclimated to an aquarium and will usually establish symbiosis with other livestock feeding on parasites and dead flesh, they will also take most marine foods. Only one per tank should be kept. Also they have a reputation for shipping and acclimating poorly, they definitely don't do well with stress management

 

[Lynden]

Urchin clingfish?

In response to Chris's edit the only species of Labroides to regularly do well in aquaria is L. dimidiatus. All the others usually do not feed, and even L. dimidiatus does so only about half the time. If one is at your pet store and you see it feed, I have no objection to buying one.

 

[mbu man]

Urchin clingfish?

In response to Chris's edit the only species of Labroides to regularly do well in aquaria is L. dimidiatus. All the others usually do not feed, and even L. dimidiatus does so only about half the time. If one is at your pet store and you see it feed, I have no objection to buying one.

Yes it looked like the cling fish. Are they reef friendly? what do they feed on?

 

[Lynden]

Yes; easy to feed. The info in the link says it all.

 

[chrissaysyes]

Yes; easy to feed. The info in the link says it all.

I have read that they are much more difficult to feed?

 

[Lynden]

Knowing little and not having kept one I can't really say. The only real source I have gives them as easy to feed, and that's an old book. Haven't done much reading on clingfish to be honest.

OK, two sources now. Seems easy enough to feed.

[URL="http/wetwebmedia.com/clingfishfaqs.htm"]http/wetwebmedia.com/clingfishfaqs.htm[/URL]

 

[chrissaysyes]

Ehn just looked them up and did some skimming...it's pretty mixed really. Some people say they have a lot of success a lot say the fish wont feed, this seems to be the case with wild caught and tank raised...seems most people are having a lot of luck with lobster eggs.

Good link Lynden!

 

[shibby]

bluestripe pipefish act as cleaners dont they? just want to know wether this is true or not!


clingfish are cool little things not seen many around though!

 

[Musho3210]

treat the cleaner wrasses as mandarins, make sure it takes frozen before you get it, or give it its proper care (which... isnt exactly, most peoples cup of tea i guess.)