Pseudoplesiops typus - practical experiences

[wayne in norway]

I recently bought some 'mixed dottybacks' as I am looking for a breeding project. I initially thought I had a bargain and had gotten two male Cypho purpurascens, however I've now seen enough photos to suggest I have Pseudoplesiops typus. I have managed to get them together in a tank and one is now a bright candy red and the other has dulled out.

Are these two definitely different species. The meristics are rather similar, but the slightly deeper body shape make me think they are.

I am going to assume that breeding follows the normal dottyback rules. As a note these fish are lubicrously reclusive, and to see the dominant male I pretty much need to strip the tank,

 

[Elysia]

According to Scott Michael, Pseudoplesiops typus is the "most common member of the genus in the aquarium trade." From Borneo to the Solomaon Islands, north to the Philippines, south to NW Australia & Queensland. Described as "very secretive; pink overall with a black ring around the eye and dark red highlights on the dorsal and anal fins. The dorsal and anal fin tips are light, or there is a light blue line along the margins." Also states that their color is prone to fading in the aquarium. Apparently the subfamily that this genus belongs to differs from othe dottybacks "in the morphology of the lateral line (the anterior lateral line on the shoulder has only a single tubed scale rather than a series of tubed scales that extend beneath the dorsal fin." Seems as though the two Cypho spp. have blue or black on the posterior edge of their scales.

 

[sedgro]

I've had one for 5-6 years and seen it a grand total of 4 times. Twice when I upgraded/moved tanks, once when I was re-arranging live rock and it dropped out of a piece I had taken out of the water, and last when I caught a brief glimpse moving in the rock work. Every time I had assumed it was dead and was surprised to see it. The most cryptic fish I have ever owned.