Wrasse ID Please

[mastersonr]

Need help identifying the larger wrasse in the pic. The one in back is a melanurus.

 

[joshky]

Can you take a pic without blue lights?

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Can you take a pic without blue lights?

+1 better pic would help. I want to say a male leopard wrasse but could be wrong.

 

[vhuang168]

Looks like a leopard wrasse.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[joshky]

I was also thinking Ornate Leopard but a better pic would be necessary to confirm.

 

[mastersonr]

Thanks. I will work on getting a better pic.

 

[evolved]

Definitely need a better picture, but Anampses caeruleopunctatus or Macropharyngodon ornatus are the two most likely right now. I lean towards the first, but cannot be certain.

 

[jbvdhp]

Definitely need a better picture, but Anampses caeruleopunctatus or Macropharyngodon ornatus are the two most likely right now. I lean towards the first, but cannot be certain.

Tail makes me think anampses


Sent using your IP address

 

[mastersonr]

I have not been able to get a better pic but it looks just like the wrasse on the left in the link below. I bought a pair of these from my LFS. They had just received them back from someone that had to take his tank down. One is 5" and the other is 4". They were extremely well fed and are in great shape. They have olive coloring on the body with florescent blue spots all over including the tail. In the thread below, that wrasse is said to be a potters leopard wrasse. I was leaning more towards a blue spotted wrasse due to the size but now I am not sure. I am trying to determine what they are and if this is truly a male / female pair or two of the same sex that get along when they probably should not.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1937254&page=3

 

[mastersonr]

a few more pics. I know still not great but I can't get these guys to slow down...

 

[evolved]

Anampses caeruleopunctatus

Reaches 16" at maturity.

 

[mastersonr]

Thanks for the confirmation Hunter. Wow, these can get huge. Is that in the wild or can they get that big in captivity? I will need to see how long it will take for them to outgrow my 150g. Any tips on telling males from females? I have looked online and there is not a ton of info on this species. How common are they in the home aquarium market? Sorry for all of the questions, but with an id of wrasse nut you seem to be a good place to check....

 

[evolved]

16" is the max recorded size (wild). Of course, reaching such a size in captivity could be possible.

Those are both females, for the time being.

Female:

Male:

Fairly common in the trade these days, but sporadically available.

 

[vhuang168]

Don't think that is the same species. The markings on the head are different in the picture mastersonr posted and the one evolved posted.

Can you take a picture in white light? The blue makes a lot of the color and markings disappear.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mastersonr]

yep. I will try to get some clearer pics in white light tomorrow and post them.

 

[evolved]

Don't think that is the same species. The markings on the head are different in the picture mastersonr posted and the one evolved posted.

With all due respect, there is no doubt in my mind. There's a lot of variability in the species due primarily to age and probably a bit to native region as well.
Look here: http://fishbase.org/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Anampses&Species=caeruleopunctatus

 

[mastersonr]

I have a 12 bulb T5 light fixture with two modes and no way to turn the blue lights off unless I remove the fixture from my canopy and take some bulbs out. Not ready to do that just yet. Of course I just changed by bulbs 2 weeks ago. :lmao:

Here are 3 more "blue" pics that may or may not help. I tried to get one that shows markings on the head. I am ready to settle on Anampses caeruleopunctatus unless there are any other objections...

 

[starkii]

When it comes to wrasse there aren't many more knowledgeable than evolved on the subject, he's the go-too guy for wrasses. So for the best I'd from the pictures given you can be pretty certain it's what he told you.

 

[mastersonr]

Thanks to evolved for all of the feedback and thanks to everyone for pitching in on this.