Hybrid xhatch

[SAreefer]

So a few weeks ago I saw on one of the reefblogs a hybrid xhatch trigger described as a hybrid xhatch/blue throat trigger

Taking two seconds looking at the pic there was absolutely nothing blue throat about it, the fish's tale however was just screaming kiri trigger. So being convinced its a kiri hybrid, I decided to get hold of both fish for the store and take a pic of them together side by side for comparison.

A friend of mine took the pics of the fish, the similarities in the tails are just too much to ignore

your thoughts ? Would it even be possible for the 2 to hybridize?

 

[Yurivd]

Good job on getting a nice fish to SA

 

[copps]

Yes it's possible for the two to hybridize, but I believe your specimen to be a transitioning 100% crosshatch... thus the color of the tail... the similarity in the tails is due to the fact that both species are close relatives...

Copps

 

[The Codfather]

That's one good looking fish. wow.

 

[kirkaz]

How big is it? Looks like Kiri to me. I have a Crosshatch pair, and have kept Sargassum and Blue Jaw. I'm no expert, but doesn't look Crosshatch other than tail, the black spots are the giveaway to me..curious what makes u say that John?

Both beautiful specimens.

 

[Recty]

I think John is talking about the crosshatch, the original poster is actually talking about the kiri trigger.

 

[Yurivd]

I think John is talking about the crosshatch, the original poster is actually talking about the kiri trigger.

That xhatch was buyed as a hybrid from TMC

 

[Recty]

Hmmm, sure just looks like a normal crosshatch to me. I'm not seeing anything on there that looks like a blue throat.

 

[SAreefer]

The kiri is merely in the pic so I can show how much the tails look alike

The crosshatch is the same as one LA has described as a xhatch and blue throat hybrid

http://www.liveaquaria.com/DiversDen/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+3&ddid=142985

 

[kirkaz]

Ah, sorry for my confusion....The one on the right and the Diver's Den fish look like a normal Female Crosshatch to me, still curious how you could ever tell, Diver's Den is certainly never dishonest....Here is mine as a reference.

 

[copps]

How big is it? Looks like Kiri to me. I have a Crosshatch pair, and have kept Sargassum and Blue Jaw. I'm no expert, but doesn't look Crosshatch other than tail, the black spots are the giveaway to me..curious what makes u say that John?

Both beautiful specimens.

I think John is talking about the crosshatch, the original poster is actually talking about the kiri trigger.

Yeah the original poster was talking about the crosshatch.

TMC and Live Aquaria selling these fish as hybrids is not dishonesty... there is debate right now in Hawaii on these fish, but to me these specimens are female to male transitioning full 100% Xanthichthys mento. Triggerfish are protogynous hermaphrodites... they change from female to male... and this is not an overnight thing... Many collectors in Hawaii are used to catching female crosshatches with yellow tails, and males with pink/red tails... when they pull up the rare in between specimen to me some are erroneously thinking this orange is a result of hybridizing between the blue throat and the crosshatch, but I believe them to be just transitioning fish...

Copps

 

[SAreefer]

surely if they were in transition you would notice the same thing on its dorsal/ventral fin?

 

[copps]

surely if they were in transition you would notice the same thing on its dorsal/ventral fin?

That is far from a sure thing... hermaphrodites that are sexually dichromatic have different parts change along the way... to the contrary if your fish was indeed a hybrid I would expect at least a faint blue jaw after seeing the amount of yellow on the dorsal and anal fin (I am guessing you meant anal instead of ventral fin... triggers have a "pelvic bone" instead of ventral/pelvic fins).

I am not saying your fish is 100% NOT a hybrid... just giving my opinion... DNA analysis would need to be done to be sure.

Copps

 

[copps]

Can you perhaps get a closeup shot of the face and perhaps also a shot of the dorsal fin, or trigger, erected?

 

[Yurivd]

Can you perhaps get a closeup shot of the face and perhaps also a shot of the dorsal fin, or trigger, erected?

He already sold it

 

[copps]

That is good news. I'm happy to see such a burgeoning hobby (and a growing number of fish nuts!) there in SA!

 

[SAreefer]

I'll see if I can find any pics of its trigger erected.

I dont see anything in the hybrid resembling a blue throat, as you said one might expect atleast some blue in the face, but then again if no female blue throat is in the same aquarium that blue on the face tend to disappears very quickly

The tail just resembles that of the kiri trigger too much to be ignored for me

 

[SAreefer]

dbl post

 

[copps]

I'll see if I can find any pics of its trigger erected.

I dont see anything in the hybrid resembling a blue throat, as you said one might expect atleast some blue in the face, but then again if no female blue throat is in the same aquarium that blue on the face tend to disappears very quickly

The tail just resembles that of the kiri trigger too much to be ignored for me

So you are asking is these crosshatches pictured above are perhaps hybrids with Kiri triggers?

If this is what you are asking it is POSSIBLE... at least on your specimen... but I can tell you I know the collector of the Live Aquaria specimen above and that was caught on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. As you know the "Kiri" trigger is from Kiritimati, or Christmas Island. Many people think Kiritimati is some ancient native word, but it is actually a phonetic spelling of the word Christmas in the native language Gilbertese... the "ti" is pronounced as an "s". Anyway, crosshatches are found there also, so the possibility of a hybrid is there, but all of these crosshatches like the ones pictured above are collected in Hawaii, so the resemblance in the tails is most likely a result of them being close relatives rather than hybrids...

Copps

 

[jt48]

came across this thread during search for crosshatch. Considering getting one for my 344 gallon reef. For those of you that that have one, please provide some feedback. Any suggestions, cautions, etc