Dr. Sergey V. Bogorodsky, Russland
Info
Very special thanks for the first two photos to Dr. Dr. Sergey V. Bogorodsky, Russia, one of the authors of the scientific paper:
"A review of the blennioid fish family Tripterygiidae (Perciformes) in the Red Sea, with description of Enneapterygius qirmiz, and reinstatement of Enneapterygius altipinnis Clark, 1980".
For many years, the blenny Enneapterygius altipinnis was only recognised and taxonomically listed as a synonym of Enneapterygius tutuilae Jordan and Seale.
It was not until the review on Tripterygiidae by Hollemann & Bogorodsky in 2012 that Enneapterygius altipinnis was again recognised as a separate and valid species.
In the Red Sea, the small blenny lives at shallow depths on dead corals, on weedy areas, algae-covered rocks or on rubble near reefs.
Enneapterygius altipinnis is a cryptic species that can adapt almost perfectly to its environment.
Males:
The body of males is cream above, white ventrally, many scales are fringed with orange, the head is cream with pale green markings.
Five irregular spots of olive-brown with melanophores are particularly distinct, the first from the front of the second dorsal fin and below the pectoral fin, the second from the middle of the second dorsal fin, the third from the junction of the second and third dorsal fins, the fourth in the middle of the third dorsal fin and the last across the peduncle at the base of the caudal fin.
A sure feature to distinguish females is the colouration with red and black spots and patterns on the first dorsal fin.
Females:
Females look very similar to males, but without red on the dorsal fins.
Under water the females are hardly visible on sand, their body shows light and olive green bands.
The first, longer spine of the first dorsal fin is black and white banded, the membranes are white, the second dorsal fin has a white band near the back half of the edge and several other white spots. The third dorsal fin is similar to the second.
Jumping guard
A jumping guard prevents (nocturnal) fish from jumping out.
Wrasses, blennies, hawkfishs and gobies jump out of an unprotected tank in fright if their night rest is disturbed, unfortunately these jumpers are found dried up in the morning on carpets, glass edges or later behind the tank.
https://www.korallenriff.de/en/article/1925_5_Jump_Protection_Solutions_for_Fish_in_the_Aquarium__5_Net_Covers.html
A small night light also helps, as it provides the fish with a means of orientation in the dark!
Synonymised names
Enneapterygius altipinnus Clark, 1980 · unaccepted
The term "reef safe" is often used in marine aquaristics, especially when buying a new species people often ask if the new animal is "reef safe".
What exactly does reef safe mean?
To answer this question, you can ask target-oriented questions and inquire in forums, clubs, dealers and with aquarist friends:
- Are there already experiences and keeping reports that assure that the new animal can live in other suitably equipped aquariums without ever having caused problems?
- Is there any experience of invertebrates (crustaceans, hermits, mussels, snails) or corals being attacked by other inhabitants such as fish of the same or a different species?
- Is any information known or expected about a possible change in dietary habits, e.g., from a plant-based diet to a meat-based diet?
- Do the desired animals leave the reef structure "alone", do they constantly change it (boring starfish, digger gobies, parrotfish, triggerfish) and thus disturb or displace other co-inhabitants?
- do new animals tend to get diseases repeatedly and very quickly and can they be treated?
- Do known peaceful animals change their character in the course of their life and become aggressive?
- Can the death of a new animal possibly even lead to the death of the rest of the stock through poisoning (possible with some species of sea cucumbers)?
- Last but not least the keeper of the animals has to be included in the "reef safety", there are actively poisonous, passively poisonous animals, animals that have dangerous biting or stinging weapons, animals with extremely strong nettle poisons, these have to be (er)known and a plan of action should have been made in advance in case of an attack on the aquarist (e.g. telephone numbers of the poison control center, the treating doctor, the tropical institute etc.).
If all questions are evaluated positively in the sense of the animal(s) and the keeper, then one can assume a "reef safety".
"A review of the blennioid fish family Tripterygiidae (Perciformes) in the Red Sea, with description of Enneapterygius qirmiz, and reinstatement of Enneapterygius altipinnis Clark, 1980".
For many years, the blenny Enneapterygius altipinnis was only recognised and taxonomically listed as a synonym of Enneapterygius tutuilae Jordan and Seale.
It was not until the review on Tripterygiidae by Hollemann & Bogorodsky in 2012 that Enneapterygius altipinnis was again recognised as a separate and valid species.
In the Red Sea, the small blenny lives at shallow depths on dead corals, on weedy areas, algae-covered rocks or on rubble near reefs.
Enneapterygius altipinnis is a cryptic species that can adapt almost perfectly to its environment.
Males:
The body of males is cream above, white ventrally, many scales are fringed with orange, the head is cream with pale green markings.
Five irregular spots of olive-brown with melanophores are particularly distinct, the first from the front of the second dorsal fin and below the pectoral fin, the second from the middle of the second dorsal fin, the third from the junction of the second and third dorsal fins, the fourth in the middle of the third dorsal fin and the last across the peduncle at the base of the caudal fin.
A sure feature to distinguish females is the colouration with red and black spots and patterns on the first dorsal fin.
Females:
Females look very similar to males, but without red on the dorsal fins.
Under water the females are hardly visible on sand, their body shows light and olive green bands.
The first, longer spine of the first dorsal fin is black and white banded, the membranes are white, the second dorsal fin has a white band near the back half of the edge and several other white spots. The third dorsal fin is similar to the second.
Jumping guard
A jumping guard prevents (nocturnal) fish from jumping out.
Wrasses, blennies, hawkfishs and gobies jump out of an unprotected tank in fright if their night rest is disturbed, unfortunately these jumpers are found dried up in the morning on carpets, glass edges or later behind the tank.
https://www.korallenriff.de/en/article/1925_5_Jump_Protection_Solutions_for_Fish_in_the_Aquarium__5_Net_Covers.html
A small night light also helps, as it provides the fish with a means of orientation in the dark!
Synonymised names
Enneapterygius altipinnus Clark, 1980 · unaccepted
The term "reef safe" is often used in marine aquaristics, especially when buying a new species people often ask if the new animal is "reef safe".
What exactly does reef safe mean?
To answer this question, you can ask target-oriented questions and inquire in forums, clubs, dealers and with aquarist friends:
- Are there already experiences and keeping reports that assure that the new animal can live in other suitably equipped aquariums without ever having caused problems?
- Is there any experience of invertebrates (crustaceans, hermits, mussels, snails) or corals being attacked by other inhabitants such as fish of the same or a different species?
- Is any information known or expected about a possible change in dietary habits, e.g., from a plant-based diet to a meat-based diet?
- Do the desired animals leave the reef structure "alone", do they constantly change it (boring starfish, digger gobies, parrotfish, triggerfish) and thus disturb or displace other co-inhabitants?
- do new animals tend to get diseases repeatedly and very quickly and can they be treated?
- Do known peaceful animals change their character in the course of their life and become aggressive?
- Can the death of a new animal possibly even lead to the death of the rest of the stock through poisoning (possible with some species of sea cucumbers)?
- Last but not least the keeper of the animals has to be included in the "reef safety", there are actively poisonous, passively poisonous animals, animals that have dangerous biting or stinging weapons, animals with extremely strong nettle poisons, these have to be (er)known and a plan of action should have been made in advance in case of an attack on the aquarist (e.g. telephone numbers of the poison control center, the treating doctor, the tropical institute etc.).
If all questions are evaluated positively in the sense of the animal(s) and the keeper, then one can assume a "reef safety".
