Hybrid Goldflake/Flagfin Angel? Or something else?

[meskin]

I bought a fish exactly like this at my LFS today for $35, except the lips are yellow, not white. It's about 1 1/2 inches long. The staff didn't really know what it was, and I can't find anything quite like it on liveaquaria or any of the other major sites. In searching, I came across a blog (reefbuilder) that posted the photo I've attached, and they suggested it was a hybrid of a flagfin and a goldflake angel, that some japanese website is selling for the equivalent of $400...
I'm not really interested in the value aspect (the store had a second for sale, also $35 if anyone is interested - The Hidden Reef in PA). I'd just like to know what it is. If it's a goldflake or a flagfin, will the lips turn blue at some point? Any thoughts on what it is, and what I should expect? Thanks.

 

[michael_cb_125]

You have juvenile FlagFin. If you had a fish like the Juvenile Above (Goldflake) she would have been much more pricey.

Also, if you had the hybrid "A.armitagei" the fish would have been even more expensive.

~Michael

 

[meskin]

Not sure I understand your response. With the exception of the lip color, my fish looks EXACTLY like the fish in the photo. Does the fact that my fish has yellow lips mean it's a flagfin juvenile?

 

[flameangel88]

My guess is a juv Flagfin between 1.25-1.75". The smallest I ever been able to get my hands on is 2.25-2.5".

Great find...I really like that small size.

 

[tcmfish]

How big is your fish and does it have a black dorsal?

 

[AuroraDrvr]

The easiest way to figure out what your fish is-- post a picture. These boards are loaded with some of the most knowledgeable fish people on the planet, as well as a few ichthyologists.


Here is a full Juvi Flagfin (A. trimaculatus)

And here is a full Juvi Goldflake (A. xanthopunctatus)

 

[zemuron114]

i have had a few g/f x flagfin hybrids from Tarawa atoll which is a part of the line islands (Kiribati) /juvi hybrids are hard to distinguish. Adults are pretty easy to tell apart. Looks more like a glorified goldflake with 10x the amount of yellow!

do you have a pic?

 

[29reef]

@ $30 I'd have to put this under the "If it sounds too good to be true..." heading. Maybe I'm wrong...only thing to do is post a photo.

 

[meskin]

I'll try to post a pic later tonight. Thanks for the replies so far.

 

[meskin]

Here's the fish in my tank. Sorry for the poor photo quality.
Note the black anal fin on mine, as opposed to the all yellow on the flagfin photo.
Is this just a "timing" issue as a juvenile flagfin matures, or something else?
Thanks,

 

[AuroraDrvr]

It's a timing issue. That's a full Flagfin. He's just further along in developing than the one posted above. If there was any Goldflake lineage in that fish, we would see black in the dorsal or caudal fins, which we don't.

 

[meskin]

OK, thanks for confirming.

 

[meskin]

By the way, should I assume the lips will eventually turn blue if that's the case?

 

[tcmfish]

Yeah the lips will turn blue but there is no black dorsal......