Mystery fish...

[JSeymour]

So over the last several weeks, a fish on one of our fish lists kept catching our eye, Dolphin Shark (Wht. Blanqui). It was relatively cheap and we have a very good survival rate on sensitive fish, so we ordered it. I took dozens of pics, it's just too active. Anyways, here is the best picture I could get.

A quick description, at first glance, it reminded me of a pike cichlid, freshwater Crenicichla sp. It has an upturned large mouth. Very predatory habits. Long, single, soft appearing dorsal and anal fins. It may have spiny rays in the fins, but I did not really check. Any idea?

 

[Giglamesh]

looks like a cleaner wrasse

 

[rubensito]

a juvenile cobia perhaps?

 

[namxas]

IIRC, that's a "false cleaner wrasse/sabertooth blenny" (Aspidontus taeniatus). They look and act like a cleaner wrasse, but when they get close to their "host", they rush in and take a nip out of their side, fins, etc instead.

 

[scchase]

Nope non of the above from what I can see you have a Malacanthus latovittatus. Its a type of tilefish that lives on sandpiles off the reef.

 

[JSeymour]

I ran across Malacanthus latovittatus in one of my books, but I kept remembering the mouth not being underslung, so it couldn't have been it. I went and looked at it this morning, it has an underslung mouth. :hmm4:

So Malacanthus latovittatus it is. Thanks.