Unusual Fish ID please!

[akabryanhall]

Here are some pics..

Pic 1

Pic 2

Pic 3

Most of the folks identify it as grouper..but I don't think that is true. Some say it is a marine betta, but that does not seem to be true. To me its looks like a type of wrasse or some kind of fish that 'perches'

 

[drainbamage]

looks like a marine betta to me- any full body pics? that'd really help clarify it. or if it's standing on its head with just it's back half sticking out a whole making it look like a moray eel :tongue:

 

[BigFeesh]

Kinda looks like a giant jawfish. But it's not. It's definitely mention for eating bigger things bec the jaw looks really big.

 

[AquaWorldPSC]

+1 Marine Betta, Hard to tell without a full body shot though.

 

[akabryanhall]

It's in a friends tank, apparently a sweetheart to all tank inhabitants, big mouth n all
Marine bettas have huge sailfins, this does not I think judging from the first pic
You can see half the fish in the 1st two pics, don't have a full body shot but hes lucky he got these, pretty reclusive, def not an eel lol.

 

[akabryanhall]

Looks like it could be from the same family but does not have the regal plumage

 

[BigFeesh]

Spotted Grouper

Just a thought

 

[akabryanhall]

Hmm could be but the spots are different, which could change with age i guess, but groupers have the jutting lower jaw, which this does not

 

[AquaWorldPSC]

Looks like it could be from the same family but does not have the regal plumage

Not all of them are that perfect as the one in the picture lol. Some have thinner fins than the one pictured, just like the one we sold a couple days ago.

 

[drainbamage]

Could be a female Marine betta and lacking in some of the plumage? Lol- and the eel thing is Marine Betta's 'defense' mechanism- they dive head first into a hole, and their back end sticking out is supposed to mimic a moray eel's head sticking out waiting for prey.


The big mouth is more for catching small prey than picking on guys- the worst 'bruisers' tend to be the ones with small pointy teeth - or large pointy teeth for that matter (and they hop!!)

 

[akabryanhall]

Female marine betta seems the most logical to me.

 

[Slayer311]

Could be a soapfish

 

[akabryanhall]

Maybe, I think the head is to pointy and the soapfish bottom jaw extends further than the top, not sure though

 

[spspirate]

its marbled under the chin?

 

[Lateral72]

Closely related to the Marine Betta. But from a different Genus, the Plesiops genus.

There are so many Plesiops spp. that are poorly described, it could be anyone of them. This one (Plesiops multisquamata) looks very close, but is limited in range to the west coast of South Africa. Doubtful that's the exact species.

 

[Lateral72]

Does the fish ever display any striping?

 

[akabryanhall]

That very well could be it!
Here is some additional info he provided when i showed him a male marine betta

Based on the picture you posted, it does not a match - The posterior and top fins in the picture are completely different. May be its a very close match. The fish is not aggressive, has not troubled any other inhabitants of my reef. It darts to grab food from the surface and is normally perched on some rock, does not swim much. Does not seem like a sharp fish and vision is not very good - can only see big pieces of food on the top surface of the water does not see food floating around him that well. Has been in my tank for almost a year now. Do you think these match the characteristics of a marine betta? Also the big black spot on the rear is missing.

Additional picture I found

 

[tclipse]

Crap. They've adapted to saltwater.

 

[Captain Nemo]

its a type of grouper. Do you have any shots with less blue in them?? Or is that the actual color of the fish?? Anyways for what its worth I believe its a type of grouper.

 

[Lateral72]

This one gets very close, even has the blue striping running through the Dorsal and Anal fins. Not sure how to word this, but the the tail on your specimen looks stumped a bit. The specimen pictured is also quite a bit smaller appearing that yours.

P. corallicola