Need an ID on my fish i bought recently

[gilly23]

Hi everyone,

I have bought this fish a few days ago and its all heathly and find. I asked the LFS and they say its a reef fish. Lately i found 2 of my gobies dead and my firefishes missing. Anything that is long like a goby died lately. I think its this little guy killing them off. Its pretty aggressive trying to bite my large Anthias and when i stick my hand in the tank it bit me too! Just wondering if this is the killer.

Please help me ID it so i can read more about it thanks.

 

[ReefLady]

Well, it looks like a cleaner wrasse, but looking at the shape of it's mouth, it could possibly (I'm not certain) be the "mimic blenny" (Aspidontus taeniatus) which looks a lot like the cleaner wrasse, but nips the skin and scales of other fish.

 

[BigAl07]

Ditto to Teri!

Thats one HECK of an efficient hunter. Nature has "Designed" this fish to get around the "social acceptance" of the Cleaner Wrasse. Once the "subject fish to be cleaned" lets it's guard down (opening it's gill covers to be cleaned for instance) this MIMIC attacks it and many times causes lethal damage (usually by later infections).

I'd get this out ASAP and let the LFS know that they don't have a CLUE what they are doing. Selling a fish labeled as "Reef Fish" is not going to cut it. That's the last time they get the pleasure of my presence in their store for sure.

 

[hma]

I seconde that Allen .... they really don't have a CLUE !

The dangerous Aspidontus fish uses its resemblance to the cleaner fish. He is approaching the fish that want to be cleaned and tear parts of their fins and skin.

 

[gilly23]

looking at it, it doesnt look like a Aspidontus taeniatus. What would this fish be then? whenver i move my finger around the tank it would totally follow me around. and how do i catch this bugger. He is so quick.

 

[ReefLady]

What about it's appearance leads you to believe it's not a Aspidontus taeniatus? These fish look almost identical to the cleaner wrasse, except that mouth is positioned more toward the "bottom" of the face that the front.
The only other choice would be the cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus), but those wouldn't "bite" or be aggressive. Also, the wrasse's should not be sold (they have a very low survival rate in captivity).

 

[ReefLady]

Here's the Blenny:

The wrasse:

 

[BigAl07]

looking at it, it doesnt look like a Aspidontus taeniatus. What would this fish be then? whenver i move my finger around the tank it would totally follow me around. and how do i catch this bugger. He is so quick.

Sorry but you're wrong. This is the "mimic". Look at ReefLady's pics and follow this comparison

The False Cleanerfish can be distinguished from the Striped Cleaner Wrasse by its more pointed snout and longer dorsal fin base.

There is a TON of information you can google about both fish but yours is the MIMIC and "in my eyes" your LFs should take it back in a heart beat!!

 

[Clownfish518]

Here is a cleaner wrasse and a fake one. I don't know about you, but they look a lot a like to me

 

[BigAl07]

Indeed a LOT alike. In those two pics it's hard to tell but from the right angle it's not THAT difficult to tell them apart. If you had both in front of you (or just one and good pics of the other) you can tell them apart. The elongated dorsal fin base is easier to tell from just pics. If you can get a good pic of the mouth (up close helps) that's also easy to use for ID!

Regardless this fishes BEHAVIOR speaks loud and clear what it REALLY is and where it needs to go. It will harm just about ANY other fish it's put into a tank with. It's that way by nature.

 

[hma]

Hey buddies keep cool ... it IS an Aspidontus sp. .... 100% but not an A. taeniatus it is an Lance Blenny - Aspidontus dussumieri .


edit: here is a picture :

 

[Clownfish518]

Could be right.

In any event, the bottom line is if the fish is aggressive it can't stay

 

[BigAl07]

Hey buddies keep cool ... it IS an Aspidontus sp. .... 100% but not an A. taeniatus it is an Lance Blenny - Aspidontus dussumieri .

I don't think so (with all due respect).
Aspidontus dussumieri lateral line starts behind the eye

A. taeniatus lateral line starts in front of the eye and continues back.

and the one in question starts in front of the eye

Unless I an totally backwards. :spinner:

 

[Witfull]

Heinz,,,,happy day to you~

 

[michael_cb_125]

I do not think that it is either of the fish suggested.

~Michael

 

[gilly23]

i will take close up pics, will be up in a few minutes thanks for you help guys

 

[jgking21]

Look at the fishes tail, it is built for speed. A large V like that gets him around quickly, the small tail on the wrasses hold them in place so they can pick on parasites. This thing is made to move!

 

[gilly23]

i have just posted another new picture, please take a look and ID it thanks

 

[ReefLady]

i have just posted another new picture, please take a look and ID it thanks

I still think it is a Aspidontus taeniatus, but that's based on the original pics I looked at (I don't think the addl pic is any clearer). However, you can see the fish better than we can - compare it against the images of the fish suggested.
In any case, like BigAl and Clownfish518 both said, it's obvious that the fish is aggressive, and regardless of what it is exactly, it's behavior would dictate that it should be removed from the tank.

 

[michael_cb_125]

Have you actually seen the new fish act aggressively towards other fish? Or did you just find the other fish dead, and assume the new fish is the culprit?

~Michael