C. meredithi questions

[SDguy]

Do both male and female C. meredithi develop blue masks? If only the male, will he develop it completely without a female present?

I've seen pics of multiples and they all have blue masks, like in this video. Except some have just an overall dark blue, while others have that "net" looking pattern to the mask:
http://australianmuseum.net.au/movie/Queensland-Yellowtail-Angelfish-Chaetodontoplus-meredithi

 

[tcmfish]

The net is the male. He is shown later in that video. The other ones earlier in the vid are females with the overall blue. Did you notice how fat those were? females. The females were also shorter fish while the male is more elongated.

 

[SDguy]

So do I need a female present to get that blue net?

 

[tcmfish]

That I am not sure of. Jeremy or flameangel and of course John should be able to tell ya.

 

[SDguy]

Thanks for the input I ask because there is a tiny one available at a LFS (John actually saw it when he was here). I'll get it if it'll help make my current larger specimen get that face

 

[tcmfish]

Well if you have two, I can say that the more dominant one will get the face. It will take some time but as they mature it will get the awesome male colors.

 

[euod]

1+. Mine did exactly that.

 

[zemuron114]

they all have the blueish face but only males have the circles on the face too.

 

[ccampbell57]

The only male in the video is at :23. The others are female. All female meredithi have a blueish/grey face. The males have the vibrant blue face with yellow circles. The other distinction is the males have large gill spines and are stretched like a limo...

 

[flameangel88]

I've only seen the male with the net looking mask and if you look at the picture on LA DD pair the female is 6.25" and the mask is not there. Unfortunately I don't come across pictures of C. Meredithi that often.

I added the 2 about 5 months apart and they were 3" when I got them last year. After the second introduction the first one grew fast and pack on weight quick.

This was taken 2 weeks ago and 'his' body has been getting longer. He's 5.25" right now

the pair 2 weeks ago

This was taken today and it's still hard to see but the net looking mask is developing on close look

 

[SDguy]

Thanks for the info, folks!

Mine definitely has more "reticulated" patterning around the face and even into the white band, but he is small (maybe 5" tops). We'll see what develops. Trying to get a pic, but it seems the red focus light from the camera completely freaks him out

 

[jmaneyapanda]

I have 1 6+" male, and two female, 3 and 4" or so, and only the male has the spotted face. Unfortunately, I cannot answer your question about if/how long/what triggers the coloration change on the face, but I would bet a paycheck that it has to do with sexual selection, and ergo, a female would "urge" the process.

On a side, note, I wrestled, and finally got these guys to trioize, and I was able to locate a very small individual to try to make a quartet. You dont see very ofetn the larger angels made into harems- usually seen or reported in pairs at best, so I am very happy with this thus far.

 

[SDguy]

Oh man, that is beautiful. Guess I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get the small one. Great... now I'm definitely going to be known as the guy with all black fish in his tank :lol:

I notice yours are obviously in a reef. Not a problem? Mine definitely likes to eat pocillopora.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

None of mine have ever touched anything. Out of all the angels and butterflies in my tank, the only time I have a problem is when the SPS produce mesentary filaments. My wrought iron loves them. But otherwise, no one eats anything.

 

[bradleyj]

How many angels do you have in your 240 ? How many fish total?
I;m curiouse because I have 6 smaller angels in my 225.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

A lot. None of mine are bigger than 6+, wiht most in in the 4-5" range, but Im obverstocked. But everyones happy and gets along.

 

[gasman059]

My two have been model citizens so far. BTW they are the most aggressive eaters in my tank.

 

[SDguy]

Mine is in a FO (well, FO with-any-coral-that-doesn't-get-eaten) tank, so no worries.

 

[AquaKnight]

None of mine have ever touched anything. Out of all the angels and butterflies in my tank, the only time I have a problem is when the SPS produce mesentary filaments. My wrought iron loves them. But otherwise, no one eats anything.

Is the 2nd pic down the side? It looks like there's so much depth to it.

 

[gasman059]

Mine is in a FO (well, FO with-any-coral-that-doesn't-get-eaten) tank, so no worries.

Peter I'd rather have them two than some of my corals. BTW there's some duncans and a couple of gonipora colonies that have been spared. I'd recently put some run of the mill zoos in there about a week ago to help out a new regal and they have not even look at them.

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