That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information
Shipments in the past couple have weeks have led to an increase in the diversity of marine organisms you can see and purchase at That Fish Place. Typically when we get something new and from a new collection point, it can come with a steep price. But with the recent additions, this is not so much the case. I thought I’d take this opportunity to introduce a few of the new arrivals.
I think one of my personal favorites is the juvenile Blackbar Hogfish (Bodianus speciosus). The majority of its body has a pink/lavender color that is unlike anything that I have seen in the hobby. Though he’s only about 3 inches now, this fish does get large (around 20 inches), so it will need to have at least a 150 gallon. We also received an Anchor Tuskfish (Choerodon anchorago) which is another large fish, but will bode well in at least a 150 gallon aquarium with larger. This is a moderately aggressive fish, but it has understated beauty, prominent teeth and a curious personality.
For those who like the slow, venomous creatures we have the Fortesque Scorpionfish (Centropogon australis). This scorpionfish is found along the Australian coastline, and has sharp, venomous dorsal spines for defense, that can inflict a painful sting. Great care must be taken when keeping this fish, as its color allows it to blend seemlessly with live rock.
If the large, aggressive and venomous don’t appeal to you, we have some small and peaceful new arrivals, too. There are a lot of fish starting to come out of the Papua New Guinea region, not necessarily new species, but gorgeous specimens – Hippo Tangs, Maroon and Percula Clowns, and a few diffferent Wrasses and Butterflies. The Percula Clownfish have some amazing color, with a lot of black contrasting with the orange and white. They rival the Perculas coming from the Solomon Islands. The fish coming from Papua New Guinea are all hand caught and found at depths no greater than 5 meters, making an easier for them to transition to the aquarium.
The Yellowfin Toxic Goby (Yongeichthys criniger), is a hardy species that will do well in your reef aquarium. As with most gobies, the Yellowfin will be happy with a combination of foods from frozen to flake and will also help keep you sand bed clean.
The Tentacled Dragonet (Anaora tentaculata), Half-barred Goby (Priolepsis semidoliata), and Barred Flagtail (Kuhlia mugil) are among some of the other new fish that may peak your interest.
On the invert front, one of the most intriguing new species is a type of shrimp, similar to the Bay Ghost Shrimp, but brilliant orange-pink in color. What is more interesting is the way it tends to hold its tail as it moves, raised like a scorpion, maybe as a defensive posture.
With shipments arriving at least twice a week, our stock is constantly changing, be sure check back frequently for other new species coming from these far off places!
