What rare angel is the least owned?

[nbd13]

Dr. Tanaka-

Thanks for the photo, it looks like and interesting specimen.

Do you know if any have made it into the trade yet? Or is the just for research purposes only?

Thanks again for getting the photo, I will have to loo into that journal that you reccomend.

Oh any more pictures of some rare angels?

thanks Dr. Tanaka

Nick

 

[BGreene]

Not in the trade yet....

 

[nbd13]

Thanks Brian.

Nick

 

[H.Tanaka]

I found a photo of Chaetodontoplus ballinae in a Japanese book.
It was imported over ten years ago but unfortunately was DOA. It seems a young adult but no data is available. No more aquarium specimen.

I forgot to mention about aqua: ask the managing editor Mr. Heiko Bleher for subscription. Vol. 11 (1), 2006 shows Centropyge abei and also Cirrhilabrus brunneus with color photos.

Many new fairies, flasher wrasse, damselfishes were described there.

heiko@pmp.it

 

[achillesheel]

not as rare as some of the others but has anybody kept a male genicanthus bellus successfully? i just ordered a male for my female from www.twilightaquatics.com . brian says he's eating well and he's had him for about a month. i tried a pair a while back but couldnt get the male to eat.

 

[nbd13]

achillesheel- I am sure the specimen from Brian will be in top notch shape/condition.

If you have trouble go get a few fresh clams from the supermarket. Pop one open and toss it in...all my angels (5) love it. I use it to get the tougher angels to eat like regals for example....

Also, a lot has to do with proper decompression; since these are deeper water fish, they must be decompressed properly. Some are unfortunate and not decompressed properly.

I am sure Brian decompressed his specimen properly, you should not have a problem

Dr. Tanaka- That is one fish I would love to have some time...too bad they are protected. It is such an intresting fish.

So, none have made it into Japan illegally over the years?

thanks

Nick

 

[H.Tanaka]

nbd,

Recent shipments has not included any 'rarity' that should not be treated as a pet.

 

[coralite]

Thanks for sharing those images. Is it me or does the C. abei resemble a small apolemichthys species? has it been formally been described as a Centropyge?

 

[H.Tanaka]

That's right.
It was assigned to the genus Centropyge but provisionally. It shares several features with Chaetodontoplus and also with Apolemichthys so the authors thought that a new subgenus would have been applied to it, but it was most close to Centropyge. Rich Pyle of Oahu is now studying the specimen and would publish his opinion soon.

 

[coralite]

Also, the colorations of the ballina and abei are somewhat similar. I wonder if its a case of convergence on a color scheme particularly suited to a similar type of environment. Reminds me of some of the St. Paul's queen angels that look strikingly similar to clippertons.

But i guess you could say the same for the bicolor and joculator and also for heraldi, lemonpeel, woodheadi, and trimaculata.

 

[Mark]

Jake, very cool to point out the similarity.

Reminds me that I still think the juvenile stage of chevron tangs is to mimic potters. Not identical, but perhaps evolution in progress.

 

[H.Tanaka]

Centropyge abei was recorded in 110-155 meters depth in Palau and Indonesia (Sulawesi) and it suggests that this angel would be more widely spread.

There are similarities among several species of angelfishes, however color morphs of the Queen Angels from St. Paul's Rocks are results of inbreeding. Yes, surely some are very similar to Holacanthus limbaughi (they do not co-occur so there is no biological meaning).

Centropyge bispinosa varies upon localities and depths, especially those from Samoa are almost entirely orange, but they may return to norm color. I have no idea what the purpose is.

I will go to Tokyo next evening and hope to see rare angels, etc. as many as possible.

 

[nbd13]

Dr. Tanaka- Please take a camera along and take a few pictures of each rare angel, then post them here please !

thanks

Nick

 

[H.Tanaka]

YES, OF COURSE !
I already asked a friend in Tokyo and found some shops to go. I hope to visit public aquariums, too. Wait for a little while.

 

[nbd13]

Haha, thanks, I looke foward to the pictures Dr, Tanaka.

Nick

 

[achillesheel]

no bellus huh?

 

[nbd13]

achillesheel- what do you mean?

Nick

 

[coralite]

I guess the thing the that intrigues me about the similarities between the clipperton and st paul angels is that both those localities are very isolated. It is conceivable to imagine that the clipperton island angels are the result of a few individuals or a small population of clarions or passers which became isolated in clipperton island and inbred to become the species we recognize today. The similar color forms of st pauls queens lends credence to this idea.

here are some gratuitous images for you to enjoy.

 

[coralite]

once you get to a certain level of rare, the only thing left to seek out is either mated pairs or natural hybrids. I am particularly a fan of the latter as they can vary greatly in appearance and so many hybrid individuals are more one-of-a-kind than the rarest of angels species.

blueface majestic hybrid

 

[coralite]

personifer conspic hybrid