Richard Bajol, Neukaledonien
Info
Adults of the blenny Enneapterygius pallidoserialis are found in shallow waters and outside barrier reefs, while their larvae are planktonic and are mainly found in shallow, offshore waters.
The head of males is yellowish, densely covered with melanophores, two vertical suborbital dark stripes and a dark brown spot are visible on the lower half of the pectoral fin base.
The body of males is dark brown, there is a row of 4 -10 whitish spots on the back, the underside of the body with a row of 3 - 8 vertical whitish stripes or spots.
The first and second dorsal fins are also densely covered with melanophores, the third dorsal fin, caudal and pectoral fins dark grey, the anal fin blackish.
In females, the head and body are yellowish with a short preorbital brown stripe and suborbital brown spots on the head.
On the anterior side of the body there are two double dark brown bars surrounding whitish spots.
On the underside of the body, behind the bars, about 6 faint vertical bars may be visible forming whitish spots.
The first dorsal fin is translucent, with some melanophores scattered around the spines.
The second dorsal fin is also translucent and slightly dark grey.
The third dorsal, caudal, pectoral and pelvic fins are also translucent or whitish, and the anal fin may have about 9 oblique brown bands.
Etymology
Enneapterygius: from Greek, ennea = number nine + from Greek, pterygion = small fin.
"Pallidoserialis" comes from Latin, "pallidus" = pale + from Latin, "serialis" = in a row (here a row of spots).
The name refers to the pale colour pattern and the similarity to Enneapterygius triserialis.
Jumping guard
A jumping guard prevents (nocturnal) fish from jumping out.
Wrasses, blennies, hawkfishs and gobies jump out of an unprotected tank in fright if their night rest is disturbed, unfortunately these jumpers are found dried up in the morning on carpets, glass edges or later behind the tank.
https://www.korallenriff.de/en/article/1925_5_Jump_Protection_Solutions_for_Fish_in_the_Aquarium__5_Net_Covers.html
A small night light also helps, as it provides the fish with a means of orientation in the dark!
The term "reef safe" is often used in marine aquaristics, especially when buying a new species people often ask if the new animal is "reef safe".
What exactly does reef safe mean?
To answer this question, you can ask target-oriented questions and inquire in forums, clubs, dealers and with aquarist friends:
- Are there already experiences and keeping reports that assure that the new animal can live in other suitably equipped aquariums without ever having caused problems?
- Is there any experience of invertebrates (crustaceans, hermits, mussels, snails) or corals being attacked by other inhabitants such as fish of the same or a different species?
- Is any information known or expected about a possible change in dietary habits, e.g., from a plant-based diet to a meat-based diet?
- Do the desired animals leave the reef structure "alone", do they constantly change it (boring starfish, digger gobies, parrotfish, triggerfish) and thus disturb or displace other co-inhabitants?
- do new animals tend to get diseases repeatedly and very quickly and can they be treated?
- Do known peaceful animals change their character in the course of their life and become aggressive?
- Can the death of a new animal possibly even lead to the death of the rest of the stock through poisoning (possible with some species of sea cucumbers)?
- Last but not least the keeper of the animals has to be included in the "reef safety", there are actively poisonous, passively poisonous animals, animals that have dangerous biting or stinging weapons, animals with extremely strong nettle poisons, these have to be (er)known and a plan of action should have been made in advance in case of an attack on the aquarist (e.g. telephone numbers of the poison control center, the treating doctor, the tropical institute etc.).
If all questions are evaluated positively in the sense of the animal(s) and the keeper, then one can assume a "reef safety".
The head of males is yellowish, densely covered with melanophores, two vertical suborbital dark stripes and a dark brown spot are visible on the lower half of the pectoral fin base.
The body of males is dark brown, there is a row of 4 -10 whitish spots on the back, the underside of the body with a row of 3 - 8 vertical whitish stripes or spots.
The first and second dorsal fins are also densely covered with melanophores, the third dorsal fin, caudal and pectoral fins dark grey, the anal fin blackish.
In females, the head and body are yellowish with a short preorbital brown stripe and suborbital brown spots on the head.
On the anterior side of the body there are two double dark brown bars surrounding whitish spots.
On the underside of the body, behind the bars, about 6 faint vertical bars may be visible forming whitish spots.
The first dorsal fin is translucent, with some melanophores scattered around the spines.
The second dorsal fin is also translucent and slightly dark grey.
The third dorsal, caudal, pectoral and pelvic fins are also translucent or whitish, and the anal fin may have about 9 oblique brown bands.
Etymology
Enneapterygius: from Greek, ennea = number nine + from Greek, pterygion = small fin.
"Pallidoserialis" comes from Latin, "pallidus" = pale + from Latin, "serialis" = in a row (here a row of spots).
The name refers to the pale colour pattern and the similarity to Enneapterygius triserialis.
Jumping guard
A jumping guard prevents (nocturnal) fish from jumping out.
Wrasses, blennies, hawkfishs and gobies jump out of an unprotected tank in fright if their night rest is disturbed, unfortunately these jumpers are found dried up in the morning on carpets, glass edges or later behind the tank.
https://www.korallenriff.de/en/article/1925_5_Jump_Protection_Solutions_for_Fish_in_the_Aquarium__5_Net_Covers.html
A small night light also helps, as it provides the fish with a means of orientation in the dark!
The term "reef safe" is often used in marine aquaristics, especially when buying a new species people often ask if the new animal is "reef safe".
What exactly does reef safe mean?
To answer this question, you can ask target-oriented questions and inquire in forums, clubs, dealers and with aquarist friends:
- Are there already experiences and keeping reports that assure that the new animal can live in other suitably equipped aquariums without ever having caused problems?
- Is there any experience of invertebrates (crustaceans, hermits, mussels, snails) or corals being attacked by other inhabitants such as fish of the same or a different species?
- Is any information known or expected about a possible change in dietary habits, e.g., from a plant-based diet to a meat-based diet?
- Do the desired animals leave the reef structure "alone", do they constantly change it (boring starfish, digger gobies, parrotfish, triggerfish) and thus disturb or displace other co-inhabitants?
- do new animals tend to get diseases repeatedly and very quickly and can they be treated?
- Do known peaceful animals change their character in the course of their life and become aggressive?
- Can the death of a new animal possibly even lead to the death of the rest of the stock through poisoning (possible with some species of sea cucumbers)?
- Last but not least the keeper of the animals has to be included in the "reef safety", there are actively poisonous, passively poisonous animals, animals that have dangerous biting or stinging weapons, animals with extremely strong nettle poisons, these have to be (er)known and a plan of action should have been made in advance in case of an attack on the aquarist (e.g. telephone numbers of the poison control center, the treating doctor, the tropical institute etc.).
If all questions are evaluated positively in the sense of the animal(s) and the keeper, then one can assume a "reef safety".
