PDA

View Full Version : New to Marine Fish and Unidentified Fish in my Tank



Gildurath
05-12-2007, 9:17 PM
Well to start off I am VERY new to having a marine tank, and to these forums. I am very eager to learn and have found the internet to be very informative. If you had asked me 6 months ago, or even a month ago do you think you will ever have a fish tank, nevermind a saltwater one, I would have said, "They are cool.", but I would not have thought I would end up with a 55gallon tank with all the fixings. I kind of inherited one from a person moving across country who wanted someone to take/buy their tank. That person turned out to be me. I am very excited and things seem to be going very well. I guess I will give some background of my adventures so far, just so people know where I am at, feel free to give any comments or suggestions.

I inherited 3 fish with the tank, 1(2") Clownfish(I think it is an Ocellaris, it has thin black strips, although the last owner told me it was a Percula), 1(2") Green/Blue Chromis, 1(2.5") pink fish that hides in the rocks and caves, some turbo snails, a few hermit crabs, 2 burgundy starfish, and a pistol shrimp(owner thought he had died).

The pistol shrimp never made a move or a sound for 2 weeks until I bought some new friends for the tank, 1 cleaner shrimp, 3 peppermint shrimp, 10 blue hermit crabs, 10 Turbo Snails and 2 Emerald crabs. Within 10 minutes of the new friends being added he was popping and easily seen, he moved around alot in his cave network he had made home. I tried to trap him for about 4 days, but was unsuccessful, and did nothing but unbalance the tank with excess food from the trap. I ended up removing live rock until he clung to a piece and was able to scrap him off. I think he may have killed 1 of the peppermint shrimp, as I have been unable to find 1(I know they hide, but at night I only see 1 now swimming around). I also think the pink fish in the tank may have killed another peppermint shrimp, as it seems I only have 1 now, and I am getting brown algae forming, which could be from 2 dead shrimp I never found, and rising phosphate levels, although with the test kit I have they seem fine.

So that is my purpose of this post, can anyone identify the pink fish. It has little pink dots in lines on a grey/dull silver underbody, with a rounded, convex tail, which has little pink lines, the pink dots in lines become less near the bottom of the fish. It loves to hide in the rocks and caves, and sometimes will not even come out to eat. It is very shy, but I did see it charge the clownfish once. I would like to know what type of fish to make sure it is reef safe, as I have mostly peaceful fish(my clown is a bully to the chromis).

Any help would be great.

Weezer
05-12-2007, 9:34 PM
Welcome..sounds nice...post some pics if you can....:hi:

Gildurath
05-12-2007, 9:49 PM
I have been trying, but it NEVER leaves hiding for more then a few seconds, and he is to fast for me to get a good picture. I will work on it, I think I have a blurry one.

SHK_ATK
05-12-2007, 9:51 PM
I remember the days when I though fish tanks where cool but never really made a move to get research let alone invest in one. But welcome to the salty side the aquarium. Try posting some pics of the clown and pink fish If your clown looks like this (pic one) then its a percula if not then it might be the ocellarus Also are any of your pink fish these fish? If so 2nd pic is a 6 line wrasse 3rd pic is a pink anthias. Hope this helps. Or why dont you just ask the dude who sold it to you im pretty sure he would know.

True Percula

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/clowns/images/TruePerculaWMC1P581.jpg


6 Line

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/0704/6line.jpg

pink anthias

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11_03/images/199_pinksquare1.jpg

Gildurath
05-12-2007, 9:52 PM
Here is a blurry picture of him:
http://www.rsitch.net/fish1alt.JPG

Gildurath
05-12-2007, 9:54 PM
He also inherited the tank from someone else. I tried getting ahold of him, he is travelling. He specifically said he used to have a 6line
Wrasse and told me to stay away from them as the one he had was very aggressive.

Gildurath
05-12-2007, 10:14 PM
Here is the clown:

http://www.rsitch.net/clown.jpg

BIGgourami
05-12-2007, 11:52 PM
well the picture looks like a sailfin blenny but the description sounds like a pink watchman goby
both would hide in the rocks and possibly give the clown some grief

Reefscape
05-13-2007, 7:21 AM
i have attached a picture of my orange spotted watchman for comparison as they are exactly the same, just different coloured spots. It does also expalin why there was a pistol shrimp in the tank as the watchman and the pistol form a symbiotic relationship...and mine has never shown any agression towards any other fish in my tank...they are quite a peacfull fish..Yes, the pistol shrimp can be a bit of wild cannon and are touch and go when it comes to agression towards other shrimp....

I have also attached a picture of a sailfin blenny so you get a comparison of the other fish in the picture as its not that clear to see...

Niko

Spotted watchman Goby...

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t303/atnixon69/Goby.jpg


Sailfin blenny...

AngieW
05-13-2007, 9:12 AM
I have a pink spotted goby so I'm attaching two pictures of him for your comparison as well (and because really, you can never see too many pictures of a goby).

I'm also new to this, I acquired my tank in a very similar manner to how you came about yours. Welcome, everyone here is friendly and helpful!

Gildurath
05-13-2007, 1:34 PM
Nope. Not either of those. I went and looked them up after Biggourami posted. He is not as wide as the goby or the blenny. I will try and get a better picture next time a friend is over and I am feeding, so I can hold the camera while they feed.
Thanks for your help though.

Gildurath
05-14-2007, 6:34 PM
Here are 3 much better pictures:

http://www.rsitch.net/pink1.jpg

http://www.rsitch.net/pink2.jpg

http://www.rsitch.net/pink3.jpg

Thanks for any help.

BIGgourami
05-14-2007, 8:50 PM
uhhh.........
ive NEVER seen one of those before ever!
if i had to guess i would say some kind of fairy basslet

Gildurath
05-14-2007, 10:00 PM
Hmm I may have found it...

Do you think this is the right fish, and mine is just a pinker variation? This is a Red Spotted Pseudochromis/Red Spotted Dottyback.

http://www.marinecenter.com/media/photos/B62C18878EFF4C2B92177A6230B2B147D.jpg

Germanman
05-15-2007, 4:53 PM
looks right to me.

Reefscape
05-15-2007, 5:05 PM
Hmm I may have found it...

Do you think this is the right fish, and mine is just a pinker variation? This is a Red Spotted Pseudochromis/Red Spotted Dottyback.

http://www.marinecenter.com/media/photos/B62C18878EFF4C2B92177A6230B2B147D.jpg

I would certainly agree with that...

Niko