RAREst fish in your sps tank

[invincible569]

Copps, outstanding fish!! Where did you purchase your fish from? The one that caught my eye was the Apolemichthys arcuatus which I only saw in Chinese and Japanese tanks. Also, the striped anthias. Keep up the good work!

 

[invincible569]

Copps, Did you have any issues with your Asfur Angelfish?

 

[copps]

Thanks bud... The bandit angels are a Hawaiian endemic and are being more regularly collected as the use of rebreathers has become more common, although still in very limited numbers. Most do go to Asia, but you could get these from Tom at www.justrarefish.com or one of the many collectors in Hawaii. I'm working on getting a small one now Keep in mind these are very tough to get to adapt...

The red stripe anthias are being collected again and showing up from time to time at the LA wholesalers. They've settled in well after I lost one right away from a wound where it had been needled... They come from deepwater, and so come with a pictilis-like price...

 

[invincible569]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9325972#post9325972 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by copps
Thanks bud... The bandit angels are a Hawaiian endemic and are being more regularly collected as the use of rebreathers has become more common, although still in very limited numbers. Most do go to Asia, but you could get these from Tom at www.justrarefish.com or one of the many collectors in Hawaii. I'm working on getting a small one now Keep in mind these are very tough to get to adapt...

Just saw a banded angelfish like yours for $425. First time i have seen one on sale. You dont have any problems with it nipping on your corals?

 

[copps]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9325965#post9325965 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by invincible569
Copps, Did you have any issues with your Asfur Angelfish?

He picked a little bit on a couple of corals... I've since removed him to another system awaiting a fish only I'm setting up soon... These fish were like $800 to over $1000 when I got in the hobby when I was little, as everything from the Red Sea was expensive... I was awaiting a Red Sea shipment a few years ago when I was hunting regals and this guy ca,e in tiny with LONG streamers, so I had to take him... Imagine getting a conspic in 15 years for about $100... tell me you wouldn't have one!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9326032#post9326032 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by invincible569
Just saw a banded angelfish like yours for $425. First time i have seen one on sale. You dont have any problems with it nipping on your corals?

Nope, he's been good... Many members of this genus like goldflakes are kept with sps... The pricing structure on these guys is like that of the conspiculatus in that the price goes up as they get smaller. Like regals though, don't touch any over 5 inches as they're pretty set in their diet...

 

[nbd13]

How am I supposed to follow that John, haha .

Here are a few of mine (Sorry for the bad pics):

I thought I would start with my pair of Hawaiian resplendant angels, obtained through Frank @ RCT Hawaii. These were produced by the pair copps has now (resplendens x fisheri). Curently these are in my 6 foot frag tank for "conditioning", basically until they get big enough to go into my display tank. They are both tiny at about 1 3/4" - 2".

Larger one:

Smaller one:

Black Tang (Zebrasoma rostratum), I have had this one for about 8 months. I got him when he was a tiny 2" specimen, he is now about 3". This guy is about to make the transfer from my frag tank to my main tank .

Another favorite angel of mine, C. joculator, I got this guy when about a year ago when he was a tiny 2" specimen. He is now about 3" and is still growing by the day. Hopefully I can get a smaller female to pair up with him....

Here is an older shot to show how much he grew. This is when I first got him, that's why his fins are a little torn up.

more to come

 

[nbd13]

My other pride and joy, my male C. interruptus angel. He has been with me for over a year now and is doing great. I am hoping to find a female or two for him soon.

This is the "puppy dog" in my tank, my 6" blueline angel (Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis). This guy will follow me around begging for food and attention. He will even let me "pet" him .

Next up is my mitratus butterfly (Chaetodon mitratus), this guy have been a model citizen in my tank. I also got him when he was a tiny 2" specimen about 6 months ago. He is now almost 2 3/4".

A few more to come.....

 

[copps]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9326374#post9326374 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nbd13
How am I supposed to follow that John, haha .

Yeah... please don't post those ugly fish...

 

[nbd13]

Not really "rare", but I still love my male red sea regal angel (Pygopllites diacnthus). I might try finding a small female for him as well (sorry for the bad pic).

Not rare either, but I still love my goldflake angel (Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus).

I also have a bandit angel (Apolemichthys arcuatus) like John, but I do not have any pics of him. He has been with me now for about 7-8 months. I am hoping to find a smaller specimen as well.

I have a few more things in the "works", if everything pans out, I will get some pics when I get the fish.

Nick

 

[nbd13]

Haha John, yeah I still don't think anything can compare to the
C. resplendens though ....Maybe I need to get a peppermint angel to "one-up-ya" hahaha .

Nick

 

[invincible569]

Nick, beautiful collection! Is the blueline reefsafe?

 

[taekim78]

My watanabei angel. awesome fish so far. does not nip on corals and eats everything thrown in the tank.

 

[nbd13]

Hey Edward,

The blueline is a perfect citizen as well. It will not even touch the few LPS I have in my tank....not even clams . I love this fish...I was going to wait to get a conspic instead of the blueline (both in the same genus), but once I saw this guy I had to have him.

The blue lines almost look 3D in person, I just cannot capture the true beauty in a picture. Probably because I suck at taking pics, haha .

Nick

 

[naka]

Love your blueline Nick. Killer anthias John.

 

[bradleyj]

Most of them aren't rare, but colorful

 

[socalnative]

nice tanks.

 

[DevilBoy]

Thats some cool looking fish....

I thought pygmy angels are not reef safe. and butterflys too. i saw a photo of the pyramid butterflys.

 

[waterfaller1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9325418#post9325418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by copps


Rare doesn't always mean expensive... this is a good shot of my pair of pyramid butterflies... Hemitaurichthys polylepis... a reef safe genus of planktivores...


Will post more soon... I've never compiled such a list in one location!

Copps [/B]

You always have the coolest fish. What can you tell me about these? How come we have always thought CBB was the only 'reefsafe' butterfly? Is it hard to feed them?

 

[DevilBoy]

Where is everyone getting all these fish from??

Copps, on them Pyramid Butterflys, what other fish do you keep with them? when did you add them to the tank, first addition, last addition?

 

[copps]

Carole, these butterflies settle in very well and feed quickly in captivity as is common with most planktivores. I regularly see them each year when I travel to Hawaii and Micronesia, and they shoal in large groups high up off of the reef feeding on plankton. There is a close relative to this fish, Hemitaurichthys zoster, that is found in the Indian Ocean and fairly attractive. The other members of the genus are quite bland and therefore not collected. Some of the well known online places will get them from time to time...

Devilboy, when you dd them to the tank is not to critical, as they settle in well, are not aggressive, and can take a beating fairly well compared to other butterflies...