ID this Wrasse?

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Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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Can someone ID this wrasse? It was sold to me as a juvinile China Wrasse (Anampses neoguinaicus) but all google searches for pictures either show this fish in adult coloring, or this is a completely different fish, which is what I am thinking. It is very similar looking to a Christmas Wrasse (Halichoeres ornatissimus) but they had one of those at the LFS as well and you could tell these 2 fish were not quite the same.

 

Almondsaz

AC Members
May 26, 2007
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Ace...I am by no means an expert, but it does look like a China Wrasse to me. It has some of the colorations that at first glance look similar to a marbled-checkerboard wrasse, but the body shape isn't right. I do belive you have a Chine Wrasse, just my opinion. Have looked through my wrasse books and also on-line. Perhaps someone with expertise in wrasse's can chime in.

Beautiful fish! Haven't seen one locally.
 

TropicalNorth

Bligh..The Demander Of Attention..
Jun 9, 2006
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North Queensland, Australia
Correct me if I'm wrong but according to my book Anampses neoguinaicus, shows the half-black half-white colouration up to a size of around 5 inches (juvenile colouration) and then develops a colouration similar to yours over 5 inches.

Looks similar to Halichoeres argus but I'm no expert.
 

Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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Yup, I was really thinking it was a Halichoeres as well, just couldn't find out exactly which one. Yes, the China is 1/2 black 1/2 white with blue dots on it. When I questioned why this fish looks nothing like the China Wrasse they have in their display reef tank I was told this was just the juvi coloring, fish in the picture is no more than 2", tiny guy. I will be going back to the LFS today and speaking with them about it though. What is odd about this fish is it has the face markings of the Male version of the Argus, but the female marking (or lack of) on its tail. Thanks for the help!
 
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Amphiprion

Contain the Excitement...
Feb 14, 2007
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Mobile, Alabama
Real Name
Andrew
Can someone ID this wrasse? It was sold to me as a juvinile China Wrasse (Anampses neoguinaicus) but all google searches for pictures either show this fish in adult coloring, or this is a completely different fish, which is what I am thinking. It is very similar looking to a Christmas Wrasse (Halichoeres ornatissimus) but they had one of those at the LFS as well and you could tell these 2 fish were not quite the same.

Definitely a Halichoeres argus. It doesn't really resemble Anampses, though. A nice juvenile/initial phase individual.
 

Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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Thanks again everyone. Ya, from looking at its head/mouth I was 99.9% sure it was a Halichoeres just from looking at the shape. The Anampses seem to have a little stubbier face and bigger lips for "kissing the rocks". Don't you just hate it when you get that voice in the back of your head that says "Something isn't right here, that definately looks like xxx type of fish and not what is labeled" but you still listen to the advice from the LFS since they just went down to the wholesalers the day before and hand picked the fish out, literally, put hands in tanks and scoop them out is how it is done at wholesalers.
 
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