Help ID my Flasher Wrasse. Possible McCosters?! With pics!!

HollyG

HollyG

New member
I just don't know!!! At first I thought it was maybe a female Blue Flasher, but didn't quite look like the pics I've seen... Now I am thinking it may be a female or even maybe a male McCoster's Flasher??? But not a full male quite yet... possibly still juvanile? It only have ONE filament and the McCoster's have only one filament... and the color is very close from what I've seen. I am no expert in sexing or IDing wrasses tho! I need your guys' help! What do you think? A juvanile McCosters or something else??
P3020060 (800x599).jpg P3020081 (800x599).jpg
P3020085 (800x599).jpg P3020092 (800x599).jpg
 
I'd say blue due to overall coloration and especially the fins. I have a blue flasher and I'm not trying to preach to you, but he definitely wouldn't be happy in a 10. Excellent fish nonetheless.
 
It is very hard for me to tell because the lighting is so blue. I'm unable to see the anal fin to tell if it is a McCoskers, carpenters, or yellow fin. I'm not sure what juvie, female, or sub-male blue flashers look like, but I know the tails on the males have points and aren't rounded.
 
The lighting makes it a bit difficult. I would have to agree with Empty bottles. Probably a juvenile Blue Flasher. Not much room to flash in a 10G but should be ok.
 
Oh, I'm sorry guys lol My tank hasn't been a 10gal in about a year now. I haven't been on this forum for a very long time. My tank is actually a 33gal (40gal including sump). I'll have to get some pics up. My lights are 2 Kessil A350 Tuna Blues... I'll have to try and get some more pictures of him/her with the Blue Channel turned down, but she/he does have blue/purple fins. I need to update my signature I think LOL
 
Ambition said:
It is very hard for me to tell because the lighting is so blue. I'm unable to see the anal fin to tell if it is a McCoskers, carpenters, or yellow fin. I'm not sure what juvie, female, or sub-male blue flashers look like, but I know the tails on the males have points and aren't rounded.
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Exactly.

It's either: McCoskers, Carpenters, or Yellow fin.
It's NOT a blue.
 
Here are a few more pics with the Blue Channel almost most off on my lights. It's so hard to get good pictures of wrasses LOL
P3040001 (800x599).jpg P3040025 (800x599).jpg
P3040032 (800x599).jpg
 
I'm still unable to get a good look at the anal fin.

In person, can you tell if the anal fin is all yellow or if their is red on the outer portion? If it is all yellow my bet is on a yellow fin flasher, sub-male. If there is red on the outer portions it is a carpenter's or mccosker's. The difference is that the mccosker's only has one filament, and the carpenter's will have 2-4. I'm sure Hunter knows more about whether they all come in around the same time or if they slowly come in.
 
Ya, I tried getting a pic of the angal fin but it is impossible!!! lol There is absolutely NO yellow on it though... but does have red on on the outer portion/edge. He also only has a single longer filament, I don't see a second or even a hint of a second that may possibly come in. I've seen pics of the McCosters and Carpenters and it could go either way from what I've seen. But at the moment... orangish-pink body, fine blue speckles and lines on body with bluish-purple fins with red on the outer portion/edge of anal fin and some red spotting/marking on tail fin with only a single lonng filament.
 
What's so tough here is you've got a female or female who's just beginning to transition (young sub-male); either way that makes an ID pretty darn difficult.

Ambition said:
I'm still unable to get a good look at the anal fin.

In person, can you tell if the anal fin is all yellow or if their is red on the outer portion? If it is all yellow my bet is on a yellow fin flasher, sub-male. If there is red on the outer portions it is a carpenter's or mccosker's. The difference is that the mccosker's only has one filament, and the carpenter's will have 2-4. I'm sure Hunter knows more about whether they all come in around the same time or if they slowly come in.
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They usually come in around the same time... There's clearly one quite pronounced, which is what tends to make me think it isn't a carpenters as I'd expect to see another filament (or two) by now. At this point, McCoskers or Yellow Fin has my chips riding on it, which a slight bias towards McCoskers.

Fishfirst said:
My best guess with the current pictures is a sub adult linespot flasher wrasse P. lineopunctatus
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You might be right, and I see why you think this, as the faint lines on the body are right. But there's two things I see which make me think it is NOT a lineopunctatus: the single pronounced dorsal filament, and there's a faint vertical line present in the caudal fin, a distinct characteristics of the McCoskers/Yellow Fin/Carpenters complex.

Maybe it's a hybrid...

My best answer for now: wait 6 months, take more pictures, and we'll try this again. :)
 
Wow, thanks evolved! I didn't know that the flashers can be hybrids. The single long filament is throwing me too lol So, if he is a sub-male... will he keep continuing to transition into a terminal male if he's the only flasher in the tank or would I need to get a female of any flasher species for that to happen??
 
HollyG said:
Wow, thanks evolved! I didn't know that the flashers can be hybrids. The single long filament is throwing me too lol So, if he is a sub-male... will he keep continuing to transition into a terminal male if he's the only flasher in the tank or would I need to get a female of any flasher species for that to happen??
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Paracheilinus are messy spawners and females of other species sometimes get mixed in harmes. Certain hybrids are somewhat common.

He'll keep transitioning on his own just fine. The rate of which, however, is impossible to determine. Could be many, many months.

Fishfirst said:
time will tell I guess... my gut says P. lineopunctatus
Click to expand...
I'd wager beverages if we lived closer. :) But you might well be correct.
 
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