Wrasse Species Confusion (Cirrhilabrus experts...)

Hormigaquatica · #1 11/01/2007, 03:23 AM

Ive dug through a number of photos, and am having a difficult time figuring out the difference between C. roseafascia and C. lanceolatus. Am I seeing bad photos, are they synonyms, is one an invalid name, or something altogether different?

deanos · #2 11/01/2007, 06:28 AM

Fairy Wrasses

Excerpt: A Cirrhilabrus roseafascia, male, 15cm, from Cebu. It often is misidentified as C. lanceolatus, but has a blackish blue spot on the posterior part of each pelvic fin's base.

triggerfish1976 · #3 11/01/2007, 07:40 AM

C. Lanceolatus

Blackish spot on anterior portion of pelvic fin
Dorsal is bluish green
Collected only from southern japan

C. Roseafascia

Bluish spot on posterior portion of pelvic fin
Dorsal fin has a yellowish pink color
collected from New Caledonia, Palau, Somoa, Fiji, and Cebu

Fairy Wrassler · #4 11/01/2007, 08:23 AM

Like they said.

C. lanceolatus is a Japanese endemic and has never entered the trade. Very few photos of it seem to exist - most photos that I have seen that purport to be a lanceolatus are in fact a rosefascia.

There is a fish they are calling a lanceolatus coming out of Cebu and being sold as a "Long-tailed wrasse" and while I have tried to order them I have been unable to come up with either the fish or a photo of one.

I recently purchased a C. rosefascia trio from Vanuatu and have just ordered some more. A fabulous fish.

The male:

The female:

Probably the nicest fish I have ever had. You just never get sick of looking at them. While they come from ridiculous depths, the temperatures and lighting of a reef tank don't seem to bother them.

triggerfish1976 · #5 11/01/2007, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fairy Wrassler
Like they said.

C. lanceolatus is a Japanese endemic and has never entered the trade. Very few photos of it seem to exist - most photos that I have seen that purport to be a lanceolatus are in fact a rosefascia.

I have to respectfully disagree with you. A couple of online vendors have sold them in the past and they were in fact Lanceolatus. Bluezooaqautics.com had a few females but they recently sold out of them and liveaquaria.com had a terminal male a few months ago in their WYSIWYG section.

Fairy Wrassler · #6 11/01/2007, 08:40 AM

I respectfully respect your respectful disagreement :-) I obviously don't know all fishes for sale.

My sources are looking through many wholesale lists and another Japanese endemic, Hiroyuki Tanaka. I have had email exchanges with him about lanceolatus and rosefascia, and he indicated that as far as he knew they have not been collected in Japanese waters and have not been offered for sale as at 15 September 2007.

Fairy Wrassler · #7 11/01/2007, 08:50 AM

This photo shows the blue/black patches on their pelvic fins:

I miss them :-(

Fairy Wrassler · #8 11/01/2007, 08:53 AM

Ack. And when I say I miss them, I sold them, and they are still alive and well :-)

Hormigaquatica · #9 11/01/2007, 12:56 PM

Easy enough- thanks for that! I knew lanceolatus was only supposed to be from Japan, so odds of collection were very low. I had seen roseafascia mismarked a couple times though so wanted to clarify a bit. Thanks all

snorvich · #10 11/02/2007, 12:58 PM

Phishybusiness gets in the supermales (and females) and Live Aquaria gets in the submales. Gorgeous fish. Acclimates well. Can be aggressive in a smaller tank once it territorializes a space. I have never seen C. lanceolatus for sale but if anyone can get one LA probably can.

Hormigaquatica · #11 11/02/2007, 08:13 PM

snorvich- Yeah, I work at P.B. (btw, did you just order a couple things? I remember seeing Barrington on an invoice and was thinking it was yours. I grew up around that area...). I was sure that the fish in stock are roseafascia, but the resemblance to lanceolatus just got me thinking, especially on the supermales. So many look similar though, and wind up being the same species under two different names due to regional variant, while others are similar but are truly distinct species.

lunner · #12 11/02/2007, 10:37 PM

You guys have problem keeping them with Flame Wrasses? They look kinda similar.

zemuron114 · #13 11/02/2007, 11:07 PM

Rosefascia can get quite aggressive. Comparative to scotts and punctatus i would say. Flame wrasse are one of the more passive ones of the bunch. Unless they are settled in well i wouldn't add them after.

beautiful fish though. the supermale phishy posted was amazing.

Fairy Wrassler · #14 11/03/2007, 04:59 AM

I have heard that they are aggressive, but haven't seen it myself - I recocognise that I didn't really have them long enough for them to get heavily territorial, but they had rocks, tubes etc and didn't harangue the other fish. I just ordered another 2 trios of them and will post pics of them when they arrive (next week, I estimate) if anyone would like to see them.

Rosefascia will get bigger than other fairies, as they are the largest in the genus. I will be putting a trio in my wrasse tank with a flame bathyphilus and a pylei, along with a mystery and other bits and pieces.

Take care,
FW

snorvich · #15 11/03/2007, 03:58 PM

Yes, they can be very aggressive. Yes, that was my order you saw which included the last of the supermales. Serdar has females coming soon and I plan to get a couple.

lunner · #16 11/03/2007, 06:12 PM

Thanks guys, so I guess I shouldn't add them...

Hormigaquatica · #17 11/03/2007, 06:49 PM

Weve actually kept a couple of the roseafascia's in with other wrasses, though never with jordani flames. I have seen them mixed with condei, lubbocks, bathyphilus, and rhomboids with no real issues. Then again, that may change over time once they really settle into a tank. They have been aggressive feeders, thats for sure.

SPS Addiction · #18 11/03/2007, 07:49 PM

i have a female or sub male right now. it is with a rhomboid, hooded, pylei, labouti, lineatus, and flame. it isnt aggressive at all. the pylei is the bully but just to newcomers. im also awaiting a supermale. maybe they are the more aggressive ones?