Chaetodon sanctaehelenae

michael_cb_125

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Chsan_u0.jpg



Has this fish ever been collected for the aquarium trade?

~Michael
 
If it's found at Ascension Isl. it must have, at some point. FWIW I know of two fish with similar ranges that have been collected for the trade: Prognathodes dichrous (same range, St. Helena and Ascension), and of course Centropyge resplendens (only found at Ascension).
 
Chris,

When I worked for another public aquarium, we DID receive a shipment of fish from Ascension, and I helped acclimate it, but there was an equipment failure at the suction side of the pump, and it supersaturated the system, killing the fish (not my fault!). IIRC, we received C. sanctaehelenae, P. dichrous, a few Centropyge resplendens and some damselfish. So I worked with these species - but only for a day or so (sigh).
The curator of the facility had worked with these fish before, and his take on them was that without exception, these fish were similar to their doppelgangers, but generally a bit hardier. so, resplendens=argi, dichrorous=aya(?) and sanctaehelenae=ocellatus. Since I had found that this same trend is seen in west African fishes (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/6/fish) I would think that the curator was correct in his asessement. The story I heard was that the curator knew a pilot for the RAF who got him the fish - this was over 25 years ago, so that connection is obviously no longer viable.

Jay
 
I know an aquarium collector that exported some of those, however, as far as I understand, fishing for marine aquarium fishes in both Ascension and St. Helena is now completely banned by the local governments...
 
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