Another ID Assist?

[M.Dandaneau]

Yesterday was one of those days we all hope for when we go to the pet shop but rarely have......I was able to purchase three tiny waspfish (1/2" or less) being held in a brackish tank under the name "Butterfly Gobies".
They look very much like Paracentropoon longispinus, but I'm not aware of these being brackish.....anyone with knowledge of near relatives?
At $3.99 each, I'm thrilled with them, and of course "converted" them to full marine about 5 minutes after walking in the door, where they started snapping up adult live brine instantly.
We also picked up a beautiful Peacock Mantis shrimp for $16.99 and a basket star that stretches almost 18" accross for $19.99.
Merry Christmas to me, Merry Christmas to me...........

[M.Dandaneau]

I finally found these, although the information gleaned is little more than I started with....they are Vespicula depressifrons, sold as "African Butterflies", "Butterfly Gobies" and Seaweed Goblinfish".
They are apparently waspfish from New Guinea that enter freshwater to breed, then later move to estuaries and possibly into the sea itself.
As near as I can tell, adult size should be roughly 3" and they appear fairly typical except for the brackish/freshwater element.

[FMarini]

cute lil buggers.....
glad you found the info on them, I could't tell from the 1st photo what in heck they were or which end was the front.
The do look like waspfish, but as you've discovered a common name by any other common name is useless
Hope they eat well for you. switch em back over to salt, brackish water is for sissys.
frank

[M.Dandaneau]

They were "acclimated" within 5 minutes of hitting the door and are thriving, for now, on a diet of enriched live brine shrimp.
Like many of their relatives, they are initially insisting on live food, with their tiny size making food choices just a little limited at present.
Unlike the other waspfish species that I've kept, these little guys are constantly out in the open and very nimble, darting hither and fro at the least sign of possible prey and even feeding in the open water column.
Do you have any information on the potency of their venom?
I know some of the waspfish are severely under-rated equaling or surpassing the toxicity of many of the lionfish by far.
Needless to say, I was surprised to find these marketed as they are, as if there's ever been a case where an LFS could be held liable for misinformation, this appears to be it.
Mike

[Lionfish01]

oh man they look so cool.

[tyler]

very cool. are they venemous?

[M.Dandaneau]

Definitely......possibly more venomous than lions and more traditional scorpionfish, with some fatalities having been reported.
As to this exact species......well, I'm willing to take the word of others, as my own curiosity has gotten me in trouble far too many times!