Fish identification 8/9/09 Hello WWM crew! <Pedro> I purchased this fish but I can't remember the name now. I was hoping you could ID it for me. <... see here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/bodianus/index.htm> Thanks Peter <Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Help with Hogfish ID  2/10/09 Hi WWM Crew, <Tom> I have this "Peppermint Hog" on hold at the LFS, and am trying to figure out exactly what it is. <Bodianus masudai> I've been Googling and it looks mostly like B. masudai or B. opercularis to me, but could you give a look and see if you can tell from this photo? There is a third white stripe, lower on the side, that's not real visible in the photo. What is the difference between these similar species? <Mmm, the boldness, darkness of the red stripes... and smaller white ones... of the latter for me.> In researching this fish I'm also looking for compatibility issues. We have a small group of four Bartlett's Anthias in a 135G reef setup, do you see any potential issues with this hogfish? Thanks, Tom <Likely will get along. Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Re: Help with Hogfish ID   2/11/09 Hi Bob, I'm thankful for your advice. <Am grateful to render my opinion> I'm seeing info on WWM and Fishbase that describes the B. masudai as a subtropical species, so maybe it's not such a good fit for our tropical (81-82F) reef tank - is this your opinion also? Thanks, Tom <I think you are fine here. Have seen this Labrid kept in tropical circumstances successfully. BobF>

What type of Wrasse is this? 10/11/08 Hi there, Fantastic site. <Thank you.> I recently bought a Wrasse which was incorrectly labeled in the store as a Leopard Wrasse. <Indeed.> I can’t, for the life of me, find what type of Wrasse I have bought, even after sifting through what seems like 100's of wrasse images on the Internet. Any help would be appreciated. (image attached) Knowing will obviously help me ensure any future purchases are compatible with this little gem! Cheers Theo--- <It does appear to be a Bodianus bimaculatus, Twinspot or Yellow Hogfish, a beautiful fish! Visit http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=5499 for more info. Scott V.>

Yellow Candy Hog, Bimaculatus same fish?   9/4/06
Hello Bob.
<James>
Another wrasse question: Are the Twospot, Bodianus bimaculatus and Yellow Candy Hog the same fish?
<Yep>
I saw one at a LFS and am curious since the one they had was yellow with two black spots (tail and I believe dorsal... but memory fading with looking at so many pictures) and subdued pinkish striping running laterally. It was about 2.5 to 3 inches and I presume juvenile unless these are different fish.
<Is likely: http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php?ID=5499>
I have been spending some time on fish base and did a google search and have pictures of both with the same name and others site have a yellow version only.
<Oh!>
I imagine the yellow is the younger version though there is no picture of yellow version on fishbase.com.
<Not yet... maybe you'll send this in...>
More important is temperament for my tanks. Can this little beauty go into my main tank with a Foxface (S. vulpinus), 2 cleaner shrimp, Flame Angel, Checkerboard Christmas Wrasse (or ornate wrasse), firefish and royal gramma?
In there are also, various sponges, tunicates, mushroom, frogspawn colonies and other lovely unknowns growing from the rock.
<Likely so...>
I would be inclined to set up another tank (as I like this fish enough to do so) if need be. I recall a one wrasse to a tank rule of thumb.
Much thanks.
James Zimmer
<Individual variation may fine the existing Xmas Wrasse the problem... Bob Fenner>

RE: IDENTIFICATION OF WRASSE
Thanks for your quick response. I might be a little washed out due to my
photographic skills. I appreciate your help.
<Could just be the specimen. Bob Fenner, who is for sure washed-out from micro-brews and hot wings night last>
Regards,
Jim

Species ID, info (Bodianus spp.)
Recently purchased a fish that is virtually indiscernible from the fish pictured on your site that you call a "Blackspot Hogfish" (Bodianus opercularis).  The wholesaler's invoice, however, identified it as B. masudai.  This is also the name given on the Marine Center website, about the only e-tailer that ever offers it for sale.
<I see: http://www.themarinecenter.com/bodianusopercularis.htm
This is what I believe to be B. opercularis...>
I looked on the fishbase.org site and my fish bears much greater resemblance to their photos of opercularis, so I am inclined to think the wholesalers (and the Marine Center) are wrong,
<Me too. Fishbase: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=23526&genusname=Bodianus&speciesname=masudai (for B. masudai) and http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=25754&genusname=Bodianus&speciesname=opercularis (for B. opercularis)>
especially since the invoice that accompanied my fish stated that it came from Oceania-- not exactly specific, but B. masduai is only found in Japan according to fishbase.org, while B. opercularis would logically be found in Oceania.
<This is correct. B. opercularis occurs from the Red Sea, in various places of tropical Indian Ocean over to Christmas Island... its range with B. masudai is distinct, does not overlap>
This is an important question for two reasons-- first, B. masudai must be sub-tropical if it only comes from Japan, and therefore, I assume, will perish in my 80 degree tank.
<Mmm, IS subtropical... according to Fishbase as well as logic (location)... would try to keep temperature below 80 F>
  On the other hand, masudai only attains a size of 12 cm, whereas you list opercularis at a more gargantuan 9 inches (Fishbase claims 18cm max-- any idea why your figure is higher?).
<Thanks for this... can't discern from my paltry notes on WWM (but/and am soon to be "on to" the labrids (am on the labroids which are... now,... the damsels)... for NMA v.2...)... can't recall or reason where I would have come up with the nine inch maximum... About the biggest I've seen (Red Sea) are six inches, and those in captivity even smaller. I suspect the 18 cm., about seven inch maximum (or a fudge mark for "real" standard length) is closer to reality>
In my case, "size matters" as well, since I've got it in a 90 gallon reef, where it is, by all behavioral measures, a perfect fish at this point.  Any chance your 9 inch claim is (as they tend to be) an exaggeration? 18 cm or less is much more to my liking.
<Ha! I suspect your fish will be fine, will "max. out" at a handful (not two!) of inches>
Thanks again,
Derek Milne
<Thank you for writing. Let's go diving this next year (after Interzoo in May... in the Red Sea) and measure them ourselves! Bob Fenner>