need help ID'ing a fish

cozmo2312

cozmo2312

Member
hey, i'm fairly new to this site, been browsing a while and finaly joined, i just got done cycling a 10 gal tank last week and i have some turbo snails, some blue leg hermits, a cucumber, emerald crab, a coral banded shrimp, and one fish... the problem is i don't know what kind of fish it is. i've tried taking a picture of it, but he is very shy and when i get near the tank he swims behind a rock. anyway, right now he is about an inch and a half long, slender, no wild fins or unusuals shapes to him, just a pretty typical shaped fish, but halfway down his body right under the dorsal fin he has a vertical line, everything in front of the line is a deep violet and everything behind the line is a bright yellow.. the colors don't fade into each other, just a very sharp line seperation... i'm really quite embarrased that i don't know what kind of fish he is. if anyone has one of these or knows what this might be let me know.,... if you have pics that'd be great too!! thanks
 
cb

cb

Member
Welcome to the board ..... I believe that if the cucumber you have in there gets stressed or dies it will pollute your tank. If I'm wrong someone please correct me.
 
karajay

karajay

Active Member
I don't think they sell the bicolor on this site, and I think this may be a related site, so maybe this posting won't get deleted but I found a pic of one on ***********.com
 
cozmo2312

cozmo2312

Member
it's definatly not the blenny... although the coloration is right on the money... but it's the wrong shape. and i'm new to this hobby, and when i first was getting all of my cleaning crew (snails, crabs etc) the lfs sugested that i get the cucumber, and i had (and still have) no idea what the thing is, and i read somewhere else that it might die and pollute my tank... should i take it out??
 
craig_08

craig_08

Member
I would take the cucumber back to the LFS. Although they can be used as a part of a clean up crew, I personally don't think it is worth the risk for an experienced aquarist. If they become stressed or die they will release toxins that will kill all life in your tank. The fact that you are very new compounds my concern (not saying you are an irresponsible fish keeper just may not notice warning signs). Once again this is also just my .02 and you can ignore it if you want.
 
kreach

kreach

Active Member
I agree that the cucumber should be taken back to the LFS... they can easily wipe out the fish population in a large tank, much less a small one like yours.
And I'd be willing to bet that your mystery fish is a Bicolor Pseudochromis, also known as a Royal Dottyback (Pseudochromis paccagnellae). Does he/she look like this?
 
cozmo2312

cozmo2312

Member
yes! that is exactly what he looks like. thanks for the help. and i think i'm definatly going to take the cuc back to the lfs.. only thing is, he has made a home in one of my lr's how do i get him out with out stressing him out or killing him in my tank?? i rarely ever see him because he is always entangled in the rock.
 
killafins

killafins

Active Member
take a deep breath in, pray like hell and do it so very carefully... reality in life is if you can put him in there without stressing him out, you can take him out.
 
kreach

kreach

Active Member
If it's feasible, you might also consider taking the rock he's attached to out of the tank just long enough to get him off. As long as the rock stays damp, you shouldn't have any problems
 
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