3.2 Fairy Wrasses: The temminckii group

The temminckii group plays host to some of the genus’ larger and more unappealing species. Burley, pugnacious and often glazed in matte grey, these un-fairy looking fairy wrasses are more often than not associated with the ugly duckling sobriquet. Despite…

A new range extension for Chaetodon burgessi in the Coral Sea

The family Chaetodontidae is well represented by ten genera. Of which, the most populous Chaetodon is home to several subgenera, one of which is the eternally fascinating Roaops. This small subgenus comprises of five handsome species, including the dapper, monochromatic Chaetodon…

Bellissima bellus: The biology and hybridization of Genicanthus bellus

The genus Genicanthus boasts of ten medium to large angelfish species that have evolved away from the regular substrate perusing stereotype. All members of this genus are rather streamlined, being longer than they are tall. Their caudal fins are festooned with…

Monday misnomer: Will the real Pseudoplesiops rosae please swim up?

In another effort to rectify the various misnomers that plague the aquarium industry, we’ll take a look at a small innocuous dottyback that has been masquerading under an inaccurate alias for far too long. The fish above in the tile…

Awesome possum: The diminutive and taciturn Wetmorella

Unlike Awesome Possum, Wetmorella does not can haz chezburgers, neither does it enjoy being an internet meme. Wetmorella is a small yet very interesting genus comprising of three Indo-Pacific species that lead very cloistered lives in dark caves and ledges.…

National Marine Fisheries Service requests Comments from public to ascertain a potential 4(d) ruling on threatened corals

Uh oh. It looks like someone is doing their job at the National Marine Fisheries Service. Do you remember the 20 species of corals that were listed as threatened in 2014? The agency stated today: “We are now considering whether…

ORA’s Hector’s Goby – A Breeding First That Isn’t, But Is

Tuesday, ORA announced their latest in-house accomplishment, the successful spawning and rearing of the Hector’s Goby, Koumansetta hectori. Ask yourself, when was the last time you’ve seen a captive-bred Hector’s Goby? You haven’t. But is this a species first? ORA believes…

Awesome Fish Spotlight: The clandestine life of Centropyge colini

Fabled angelfish of the deep, with a mysterious ectoplasmic glow. Centropyge colini is a dwarf angel riddled with mystique and inexplicable beauty. Of the various deepwater dwarf angelfish known to science, only a few species fall readily into the hands…

The real Odontanthias chrysostictus from Indonesia is only the second specimen we’ve seen so far

Having recently untangled the confusing web spun by the three highly similar Odontanthias species, we are now able to look at things with a fresh slate and a brand new perspective. Here’s a looker worth a few minutes of your…

Differentiating the befuddling trio: Odontanthias chrysostictus, O. katayamai and O. tapui

For a long time, the confusion between Odontanthias chrysostictus, O. katayamai as well as O. tapui has afflicted many. We’ve made the mistake of wrongly identifying these fishes in the past as well. We hope to straighten out the mistakes…