Wimplefish

Wimplefish

This story is of the Wimplefish, one of a species of eight in the genus Heniochus, in the family of butterflyfishes. Almost all of the Heniochus look quite a bit alike, especially with the short-to-long fin that arches over the back. This Heniochus genus is an attractive lot, with our Wimplefish and the “Poor Man’s Moorish Idol” so close in appearance that when there are no more Wimplefish left to sell, the Moorish Idol is sold in its place. Even though they are both beautiful, flat, with large black stripes, and sporting a soaring fin, they are different. The Moorish Idol is not in the Heniochus genus; it is very expensive, and much more vulnerable, that is, fragile, than our Wimplefish, which is very cheap, has little trouble surviving, and is not afraid to be alone. You see, the Heniochus genus of eight species (like an ethnic group) is very social like its family, the butterflyfishes. This genus Heniochus is unlike the other members of the butterflyfish family in appearance but alike in social behavior, traveling as a pair or more--up to a few hundred individuals. The acuminatus (our Wimplefish) are the most common, most peaceful of the genus Heniochus from the butterflyfish family The Wimplefish, or the Heniochus acuminatus (genus and species), is the only Heniochus that can make it through life in a tank alone. It adjusts, in other words. In the sea, it does what the others do; it has a partner or a group.

Feather Sticking Back

Now remember that eight Heniochus do look alike, most of them with a long fin. The long fin gave birth to the choice of the German word wimple as that word is also used to describe a type of German hat with a backward-leaning feather. Maybe you’ve seen that cute little hat with a feather sticking back over the top. The fin is likened to the feather. That’s a nice image and a good little name (by the way, also used for the Wimple’s piranha). Wimple is the German word for a banner or pendant. There are plenty of other names you can call our Wimplefish of the month such as “Pennantfish,” “Pennant coralfish,” “Coachman,” and “Bannerfish.”

Size and Habitat

The Wimplefish grows to about eight inches in the sea. Its genus is widespread, from the central Pacific to the east coast of Africa, Andaman Sea and Mabul, Malaysia, and a saltwater inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Saudi Arabia called “the Red Sea.” Well, our little fish travels to so many interesting places that seem like fun and we hope you enjoy them. If you want to comment or add anything, we would love to hear from you. Our email is MoodTank@waiting-room-fishtanks.

GUIDE TO TROPICAL FISH

ROW 1-- L to R: Addis Butterflyfish, Blue Damsel, Blue Ring Angel, Clown Trigger.
ROW 2-- L to R: Copper-Banded Butterfly, Flame Angel, Forceps Angel, French Angel.
ROW 3-- L to R: Imperator Angel, Koran Angel, Red Volitan Lionfish, Percula Clown.
ROW 4-- L to R: Picasso Trigger, Powder Blue Tang, Purple Tang, Queen Angel.
ROW 5-- L to R: Redfin Butterfly, Regal Angel, Regal Blue Tang, Rock Beauty Angel.
ROW 6-- L to R: Royal Gramma, Squarespot Anthias, Starfish, Threadfin Butterfly.
ROW 7-- L to R: Three Stripe Damsel, Wimplefish, Yellow Tang.

Percula Clownfish

Percula Clownfish
The Percula Clownfish has a scientific name of Amphiprion percula and so is referred to as "A. percula Clownfish." Names count here because there are hundreds of types of clownfish. So hang on to "percula," and as you do that, realize that it is the TRUE Clownfish. This actually only means that it has 10 dorsal spines instead of the 11 as on the FALSE and that it probably was discovered before the "false" one. Scientific and lay terminology is a rich mix here. The clownfish in the aquarium might be very docile and it can survive without the anemone in captivity. But the jumping and darting of the A. Percula Clownfish among the anemone in the sea is not clowning around. It's very serious work involving protection of the anemone and luring in the prey. And we'll tell you the interesting story about that.

Immunity Toward the Sea Anemone's Toxins
The A. percula Clownfish live with the anemone which are living creatures, usually attached to coral reefs or even anchored in sand. The anemones are predatory animals named after the anemone, a terrestrial flower. The clownfish (anemonefish) are not harmed by the stinging tentacles of the sea anemone. They use its tentacles as protection from enemies. They lure in other sea creatures to feed the anemone. It's a perfect example of two different species of the animal kingdom living off of each other. In ecology, it's called "commensalism" where one benefits and the other is not significantly harmed or helped. The English word derives from the Latin com mensa, meaning "sharing a table." Larva of the percula clownfish use chemical cues released from the anemones to identify the appropriate host species to use for shelter and protection. The anemone helps the anenomefish by using its venomous tentacles to give the fish protection from predators. There are two hypotheses (1) that the mucus secreted by the anemonefish prevents the anemone from discharging its lethal sting of toxins, including neurotoxins, which paralyze, and (2) that the A. percula has acquired immunity toward the sea anemone's toxins. If anemones are attacked, they can release from the substrate and swim away to a new location using flexing motions.

Male to Female Changes
The A. percula has a size-based hierarchy and the female is the largest. If the female dies the male changes sex and becomes the breeding female. The largest male will suppress the size development of the next smallest male and the cycle continues until the smallest fish is evicted from the host anemone. The A. percula is typically orange in color with three white bars and jet black margins around the bars. Its habitats are New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

Clownfish Prices
The global trade in marine ornamentals has a current estimated sales value at US $200 to $330 million, and the USA accounts for 80% of the imports. The value of the anemone is on average five times the value of the anemonefish. The fish range from $50.00 to $270.00 each. Aquarium fishing significantly impacts the anemone populations and also the anemonefish by drastic numbers.

Now you really must feel that you're contributing to global ecology by having a virtual aquarium. Why don't you go over and search MoodTank for the A. percula clownfish by pressing the button. Remember, one second for ON, ten seconds for OFF.

We hope you've enjoyed this particular bit of virtual reality, and have once again been impressed by nature.

Starfish

STARFISH

Starfish have this name because most have at least five arms extending around a disk in radial symmetry. The slow, unresponsive starfish we know comes from a very big family, ranging from beautiful designs and strong bodies to pathetic little creatures some of which are bilateral, probably in the larval stage. The most beautiful designs are rich colors with patterns of squares, and patterns of ovals.

Sea Stars
Their Phylum (classification) is echinoderms, taken from a Greek word echinos, our word “hedgehog.” We must also keep in mind that their “class,” a few levels below their “Kingdom,” is “asteroidea.” Starfish are properly called "sea stars” and thus we find the secret for the name "sea stars.” They are found at all ocean depths, and date back to the Cambrian period about 542 million years ago, the first abundant period of life when the first definitive members appeared near the beginning of that period. “Cambria” is the classical name for “Wales,” the area where rocks from the Cambrian period were first studied—but not 542 million years ago, of course. There the scientists found fossilizing multicellular organisms. This sudden appearance of hard-body fossils is referred to as the “Cambrian explosion.” The family of echinodermata contains about 7,000 living species.

Symbol of the Marine Environment
So we begin to see that these rather inactive creatures lacking in graceful movement have a very high standing--not as fish, because it is not a fish, it’s an echinoderm, closely related to sea urchins and sand dollars. But though not fish, they are synonymous with our perception of marine environment. Their respectability lies in their Kingdom's earliest entrance into the world of living creatures, their variety of design, the number of their species, and the impressive fact that they are the largest Kingdom without freshwater or terrestrial representatives. Therefore, we really stand out from them--but they swim better.

Some starfish cannot live in aquariums and some are too dangerous for aquariums.
Starfish do not rely on a jointed, movable skeleton for support and locomotion, although they do have a protective skeleton. They possess a hydraulic water vascular system with many projections called tube feet on the lower surface of the arms, and the tubes provide locomotion. There is an opening on starfish for filtering water into the vascular system. It is on the upper surface of the central disk, located away from the mouth which is in the middle of the underside. They have two stomachs, one for digestion, and the other to catch bigger prey, since their mouths would be too small. Many use a highly advanced chemical detection method to find pieces to eat here and there from old rock, which some might call the “leavings,” as they say in parts of the US. Other ones eat shellfish. The sea star devours this prey by cracking the shell with its tube feet, then pushing its own stomach through its own mouth into the open shell and using digestive juices to liquefy the interior, which can then be sucked out. Starfish are able to regenerate lost arms; even a new starfish may grow from a single arm attached to a portion of the central disk. In nature, there really is a solution for everything.

Watch Closely
We do not want to end by creating an unpleasant picture for you, so we would like you to note that your particular Starfish moves very slowly about your virtual aquarium. Also, be sure to watch the changing light. It’s enchanting.

Well, we hope you have enjoyed our little bit about the Starfish, as best we can determine as nonprofessionals.

Lionfish --street value $39

Red Volitan Lionfish
The extravagant, spiky design of this fish should warn any swimmer to keep a distance. In fact this fish is from the family "Scorpaenidae." Now, what does that tell you? But, actually, it's the color that registers with swimming naturalists that this fish is venomous. "The audacity of the colors of this species is a clear warning sign for its exceedingly venomous spines. This species flexes its pectoral fins quickly to charge aggressors with its extended dorsal spines." It's sting is a little worse than that of a bee, though, and has never been known to be fatal.

Where to Find the Lionfish
Just the same, if you're planning a vacation on the uninhabited Island called Long Island in Willapa Bay, Pacific County, Washington, you'll want to know that the Bay is one of the few places on our West Coast that these fish have set up colonies. Along the East Coast, from Rhode Island, following the coast around Florida, and continuing along the coast to the southern tip of Texas, they dwell. It's not their usual environment and probably most of them were brought here and released. We actually know that Pterois Volitan (Red Volitan Lionfish) was introduced to Key Biscayne, Florida when a beachside aquarium broke during Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Unusual Coloring and Body
But I was telling you about their color. The Lionfish has various colors. Commonly it has red to burgundy, brown, white, and black vertical stripes along its body. Its extravagant design is due to large, fan-like pectoral fins, and tall, banded spines on the dorsal, pelvic, and anal fins. These spines are the stingers. Now, no one can really criticize abstract expressionism in art when we see the extreme in nature. In a 50-foot aquarium (their minimum) its maximum size is 1 foot 3 inches but in the ocean it can grow to 17 inches.

Lionfish Names
The Lionfish not only has lots of spines full of venom, it has many names such as the Common Lionfish, Red Firefish, Turkeyfish, and Butterfly Cod. In case you travel extensively, even though in the good old USA it is called Volitan Lionfish, in French it is poisson volant; in German Rotfeuerfisch, in Japanese Hana-minokasago, ominokasago. Now that's beginning to sound like an Indian name. The French "volant" in this case means "having the wings extended, as in flying."

Popular Aquarium Fish
The Lionfish is well-travelled. It's first noted as being around the Moluccas Island, Indonesia in 1758. The Lionfish is in Indonesia, Tonga, and the Philippines, in the tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. It is priced at high and low prices from those three areas ranging from $40.00 to $170.00. It's found elsewhere, as in the Indian Ocean, and lives around many Islands of the Pacific. Australia is a big favorite. A popular color sent to America is actually a black. with black markings.

Lionfish the Loner
The Red Volitan Lionfish which is described here is only mildly aggressive. It likes to be alone and only mixes with its kind when young or mating. It stays around the coral reef during the day and swims out to feed at night.

We hope you have enjoyed this time talking about the RED Volitan Lionfish.