OMG look at this fish! (Gulf Signal Blenny)

[Aaarrrggg]

I just stumbled across a picture of the most stunning fish I've ever seen... :hmm4:

Photo source: http://www.ryanphotographic.com/chaenopsidae.htm

It's called a Gulf Signal Blenny (Emblemaria hypacanthus)
http://www.fishbase.de/Summary/Spec...&genusname=Emblemaria&speciesname=hypacanthus

According to fishbase it only reaches a max size of 5cm, so it seems ideal for Nanos. I immediately started Googling the heck out of it (of course!) but couldn't find anything that wasn't either scientific info, or photographs. They seem to be found in the Gulf of California, so I'm baffled as to why they wouldn't be in the aquarium trade...? They look like the blenny equivalent of a mandarin to me!

I'm also wondering if they look like the above all the time, or if the males only "flash" those colors while displaying? I've seen some other pics where they are sandy tones, but that could just be a mislabeled species, or a female?

At any rate, I'm intrigued. Does anyone know anything about these beauties?

 

[namxas]

They're one of the many species that are considered "barnacle blennies", altho Acanthablemaria balonorum is the fish one usually finds in the hobby. I currently keep A. balonorum, which are rarely seen except for the mad dashes out of their holes/shells to grab passing bits of food. I assume this species has similar habits.

 

[Aaarrrggg]

Oh cool! I've been looking for a Barnacle Blenny!
http://www.fishbase.de/identification/SpeciesList.php?famcode=483&areacode=77&c_code=&spines=&fins=

I heard you can at least normally see their heads poking out. Is that true?

I've been trying to track down a Hancock's Blenny in particular, but dealers unfortunately only seem to get in "Barnacle Blennies"...so getting the right one is proving difficult.

I was having a look about today for a Hancock's when I found the above beauty. I'd much rather get a Gulf Signal, but I can't seem to find a source anywhere, which is strange considering their looks.

 

[olemiss reb]

$10+ shipping and you can have one-- http://sealifeinc.net/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=157

for those of you in Europe- http://directsealife.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1179&osCsid=4

 

[AlexS95]

SeaLife Inc. is in Florida, the species he's talking about is in California so it most likely isn't the same kind.

 

[29reef]

They like many "barnacle blennys" are temperate species and do not last long at the 76+ temps that most of us keep our tanks at.

That is a great photo! It would be great to set up a small temperate water tank and see how a pair would do.

 

[Phsycodelic81]

it is a really nice fish tough

 

[kawicivic]

They like many "barnacle blennys" are temperate species and do not last long at the 76+ temps that most of us keep our tanks at.

That is a great photo! It would be great to set up a small temperate water tank and see how a pair would do.

If this is true... between that fish and the catalina goby it might be worth a non-tropical saltwater tank!

 

[philter4]

They like many "barnacle blennys" are temperate species and do not last long at the 76+ temps that most of us keep our tanks at.

It all depends on the species, I have collected 5 different species, some from the Atlantic, one in the gulf and 2 from Eastern Pacific, Western Mexico and all of them will do fine at higher temps. The Atlantic species come from Southern FL through the gulf and down to southern Brazil and they will all do fine at tropical temps. The species from the southern half of the Sea of Cortez and the tip of Baja also do fine at tropical temps.

The main problem is how they are collected. Many of you have read posts on how they collect blue spot jawfish for the pet trade know what I am referring to but they are mostly collected with drugs and this isn't good for their longterm survival. I collect them with a trick that works almost every time and once they are out of the hole they live in (some live in tube worm tubes, others in dead barnacles still others live in just holes in the reef) they seem to not understand what is happening and are easy to catch. What we do is to take a piece of weed wacker line and stick it down the tube. the line is rigid enough to chase the fish out and flexable enough to get past any curves or turns in the tunnel. Works perfectly and is safe for the fish and the reef.

One thing you should understand about them, first they do look like the photo when displaying, it is very important to have several males and at least one female. The display is a territorial display and they do it to the other males, not to the females, but if there are no females present after a couple of weeks to a month they just lose interest in each other. When I kept them I always had at least 3 males and a female, more males is better but you only need a single female to keep up their interests. Females are very small and dull compared to the male and the sailfin is not half as big but it is similar in shape so it looks like it might be a young male.

 

[NyReefNoob]

ive had my catalina goby for over a month in my reef, thats stays between 77-79 degree's and i know a month isnt long but was at the store in same temp for over a month and it eats pellets, flake and frozen, it is almost my favorite fish in my system

 

[namxas]

ive had my catalina goby for over a month in my reef, thats stays between 77-79 degree's and i know a month isnt long but was at the store in same temp for over a month and it eats pellets, flake and frozen, it is almost my favorite fish in my system

Nope, a month is not long at all. If your temp is stable, it will fare better, but these fish are typically found dead for "no apparent reason". You may have lucked out and found one that was collected in warmer water, but time will tell.

We keep a temperate lionfish species and have so far, "beaten the odds" (we've had it over a year), however, the tank is kept at 63*F max.

 

[Didac]

That is one cool looking fish ..

 

[29reef]

It all depends on the species, I have collected 5 different species, some from the Atlantic, one in the gulf and 2 from Eastern Pacific, Western Mexico and all of them will do fine at higher temps. The Atlantic species come from Southern FL through the gulf and down to southern Brazil and they will all do fine at tropical temps. The species from the southern half of the Sea of Cortez and the tip of Baja also do fine at tropical temps.

The main problem is how they are collected. Many of you have read posts on how they collect blue spot jawfish for the pet trade know what I am referring to but they are mostly collected with drugs and this isn't good for their longterm survival. I collect them with a trick that works almost every time and once they are out of the hole they live in (some live in tube worm tubes, others in dead barnacles still others live in just holes in the reef) they seem to not understand what is happening and are easy to catch. What we do is to take a piece of weed wacker line and stick it down the tube. the line is rigid enough to chase the fish out and flexable enough to get past any curves or turns in the tunnel. Works perfectly and is safe for the fish and the reef.

One thing you should understand about them, first they do look like the photo when displaying, it is very important to have several males and at least one female. The display is a territorial display and they do it to the other males, not to the females, but if there are no females present after a couple of weeks to a month they just lose interest in each other. When I kept them I always had at least 3 males and a female, more males is better but you only need a single female to keep up their interests. Females are very small and dull compared to the male and the sailfin is not half as big but it is similar in shape so it looks like it might be a young male.

I thought we were talking about the fish in the first post. The OP said it was found in the gulf of California. To me that is not a tropical area. I would hazard a guess that this fish would be happy in the range of 68-70 degrees.

Other than that great info on collecting and keeping barnacle blennys.

 

[fote03]

dam that looks sweet.

 

[Aaarrrggg]

Interesting info thanks guys!

The fishbase map does have them creeping down the coast somewhat, so perhaps these chaps could be ok in warmer waters? I like the thought of a signal blenny and catalina goby tank though! Hmmm... Maybe one day; I'm having too much fun getting a mixed mini reef going at the moment... plus I'd need a chiller for that setup in Tx.

That's a really clever way of catching Barnacle Blennies philter4, thx for sharing. I guess the only problem is finding the burrows to begin with. Do you lie in wait and watch for their heads to pop out, or do you just poke about in holes in the reef? I'd be scared about what might emerge doing the latter! :lolspin:

 

[philter4]

I thought we were talking about the fish in the first post. The OP said it was found in the gulf of California. To me that is not a tropical area. I would hazard a guess that this fish would be happy in the range of 68-70 degrees.

Other than that great info on collecting and keeping barnacle blennys.

The Sea of Cortez and the Gulf of California are the same place. This fish is found throughout the gulf, from the upper gulf to Cabo San Lucas and can take temps from the low 60's (upper gulf in winter) to the low 90's (surface temps in the central gulf in early fall) There are 3 areas of the gulf, upper which is temperate, middle which is mostly tropical but can dip in cold years and lower which is tropical year round. There are 3 species of Emblemaria, found in Mexican waters, E. hypacanthus, the gulf signal blenny from this post and is the most common signal blenny in the Eastern Pacific, E. nivipes, found on the pacific side of Baja Ca and not in the gulf, and E. piratica, also not in the gulf but from Mazatlan to Panama along the mainland coast. Of these 3 E. nivipes would be the least likely to handle tropical temps but is not in the pet trade. The gulf signal blenny is the only one of the 3 regularly found and it is collected in the southern gulf where temps are tropical year round because further up the gulf there are less and less tropicals collected so no one has stations there even though the fish could be collected there. They tend to collect where the most sellable fish are so they don't venture too far into the central gulf commercially. Still, I have collected both cortez and passers angels along with a dozen other tropical species at Bahia De Los Angeles which is in the upper gulf.

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Bump
Anyone else find info about E hypacanthus?

 

[vashawn]

bump
Anyone know where have 1 of these

 

[tonysi]

Almost as good as getting a peppermint angel. Those blennies are also a cooler water species like a Catalina

 

[jraker]

Yes they are cold water. They stopped being collected a while ago. Otherwise, there isn't much info on them because few have been kept in captivity.