Antarctic Toothfish

Dissostichus mawsoni

Today's animal is a pretty cool creature-- it is one of the top predators in Antarctica's Ross Sea, dominating over other species of fish that barely reach 1/3 its size!

The Antarctic Toothfish can grow up to 2m long, making it a giant in cold waters where the fish tend to stay half a meter or less. They are also important because they serve as prey to the large Mammals that feed in those waters-- one group of Orcas actually feeds almost exclusively on them!

The life habits of the Antartic Toothfish haven't been extensively studied, but we do know that they can live as long as 50 years, and don't reach maturity until 16 or 17. Scientists believe that they migrate in order to breed, but that hypothesis hasn't been confirmed because no eggs have ever been found!

Another weird fact is that these fish are able to produce proteins in their body that act like anti-freeze. Those proteins are incredibly efficient at keeping the Toothfish's blood from crystallizing!

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IUCN Status : Not Evaluated
Location : Antarctica
Size : Length up to 6.6ft (2m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Nototheniidae -- Genus : Dissostichus -- Species : D. mawsoni
Image :  Last Ocean

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Achilles Tang

Acanthurus achilles

The Achilles Tang is a beautiful species of Surgeonfish that cane be found in the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean. They are moderately sized, with adults reaching about 10in in length.

You can identify this Tang from other Tangs by their black scales, orange spot near the tail, and bright orange tail with white edging. They live near coral reefs, and tend to move in groups. The Achilles Tangs feed on various types of algae

Achilles Tangs are very difficult to keep in captivity. Though they can be kept as pets, only a very experienced saltwater aquarist should consider this species. They require large tanks (180+ gallons) that have strong water flows, and are difficult to feed. They can also become very aggressive and are susceptible to ich and other diseases.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Pacific Ocean
Size : Length up to 10in (25cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Acanthuridae -- Genus : Acanthurus -- Species : A. achilles

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Giant Grouper

Epinephelus lanceolatus

Meet the largest reef dwelling fish on the planet, the appropriately named Giant Grouper. These giants can reach lengths up up to 9ft, and weigh well over 800lbs!

Interestingly, even though they are very large, they are not often seen in the wild. They are a Vulnerable species, and live solitary lives hanging out near the seafloor. In fact, not much is really known about their wild behavior. We do know that they are carnivores that feed on crustaceans, small sea turtles, and other fish, and that they probably spawn during the summer time (no spawning events have been directly observed by scientists). It is believed that they reach maturity at around 4ft (1.3m).

Giant Groupers live in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and are sometimes referred to as Queensland Groupers. The population is considered Vulnerable due to overfishing. They are a very long lived fish, and can take decades to grow, which means replenishing the species can take a very long time. They are protected in several parts of Australia and India.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable

Location : Indian and Pacific Oceans
Size : Length up to 9ft (2.7m), Weight up to 880lbs (400kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Serranidae -- Genus : Epinephelus -- Species : E. lanceolatus

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Pumpkinseed

Lepomis gibbosus

The Pumpkinseed is a species of small freshwater fish that belongs to the same genus as the Bluegill. They once had a range that spread only through eastern North America, but they can now be found all the way west to the Pacific Coast. Pumpkinseeds have also been introduced in Europe, where they are considered an invasive species (due to their competing with other fish for food).

Pumpkinseeds have body shapes similar to their namesake, and have scales that range from brown to olive green. They also have small speckles across their bodies, and faint vertical lines. The coloration is more vibrant and pronounced during the breeding season. The Pumpkinseeds' scales are used for protection-- they are able to reflect back their surroundings and serve as camouflage.

The species is most commonly calm, clear waters. They are active during the day, feeding on insects and small aquatic creatures both at the surface and near the bottom. At night they hide out in submerged plants and other covered areas.

During the breeding season males will actually build little nests in the lake floor, sweeping away rocks and debris and making an indent. These nests are often built in small colonies, and are sometimes intermingled with Bluegill nests (Bluegills and Pumpkinseeds sometimes school together, and will even interbreed). Females can lay up to 1,700 eggs, and will sometimes lay them in multiple nests. They leave after the laying is done. Males hang around until the eggs hatch (around 3 days) and will actually guard their new offspring for up to two weeks. If they wander off the dads will even return them back to the nests in their mouth!

Pumpkinseeds are often fished up by anglers, due to the fact that they swim close to shore and will take worms very easily. They are sometimes a source of some frustration though, as they'll often bite when fishermen are going after larger fare.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North America
Size : Length up to 8in (20cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Centrarchidae -- Genus : Lepomis -- Species : L. gibbosus

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Moon Wrasse

Thalassoma lunare

Today we're going to learn all about the beautifully colored Moon Wrasse, which gets its name from the crescent moon shaped pattern on its tail. They are also sometimes referred to as Lunar Wrasses and Cruscent Wrasses.

In the wild, Moon Wrasses can be found in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They prefer shallow, oxygen rich waters that are no deeper than about 60ft, and are most common in and around Coral Reefs. They are carnivorous, and feed on small invertebrates like crabs and starfish.

Moon Wrasses actually change color as they age, starting out with blueish bodies and black spots, and then becoming green, pink, and blue over time (with those bright yellow crescent tails!) These fish also have the fun distinction of being protogynous hermaphrodites. This means that they all start out as female, and that some will change and become male depending on different environmental triggers. This process only takes 10 days to complete!

Many Moon Wrasses live in small schools that are made up of females, juveniles, a dominant male, and sometimes a few other males as well. The dominant male is often more brightly colored than all of his school mates, and they will nip aggressively to maintain his position in the school and assert leadership. When it comes time to breed, he rounds up the females for a spawning frenzy.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Indian and Pacific Oceans
Size : Length up to 12in (30cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Labridae -- Genus : Thalassoma -- Species : T. lunare

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Yellow Tang

Zebrasoma flavescens

I remember going to pet stores as a child and always admiring the huge display tanks of saltwater fish. And one particular fish always stood out- the Yellow Tang. How could it not? Its large(ish) size, its bright, almost neon coloring. It's quite the beauty!

Yellow Tangs are native to the shallow, coastal reefs of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They don't swim much deeper than 46m, and the larger fish tend to stay in the shallowest waters. Hawaii is a particular hotspot for the species, and most of the fish captured for captive living come from this area.

In the wild they feed on different algaes and plants, and live in small schools. They spawn several times a year, with these sessions coinciding with the full moon.

If you're interested in owning a Yellow Tang you'll need to have a large aquarium, and a lot of time and patience required to correctly maintain the habitat. Because they can reach lengths of up to 8in, and because they can get aggressive with other surgeonfish (the group in which they belong), a size of 55gallons is absolutely necessary.

Because they show aggression towards other fish of their type, most people keep only one, or they keep enough to form a school. The presence of a school prevents the territorial fighting that would arise if there were only 2 or 3 fish. Obviously the larger the school, the larger the required tank.

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IUCN Status : Not Evaluated
Location : Pacific and Indian Oceans
Size : Length up to 8in (20cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Acanthuridae -- Genus : Zebrasoma -- Species : Z. flavescens

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Indigo Hamlet Fish

Hypoplectrus indigo

Today's animal is a pretty little guy that can be found in the tropical waters of the West Atlantic. Meet the Indigo Hamlet!

There are actually a whole bunch of Hamlet Fish species, all of which belong to the Sea Bass family. I can see the resemblance!

Indigo Hamlets live on Coral Reefs at depths of up to 150ft (45m) and feed on smaller animals like crabs, shrimp, and other fish. They tend to stay near one area of the reef for their entire life and protect it as a home territory.

One really neat fact about eh Indigo Hamlet (and most Hamlets actually) is that they have both male and female genitalia. They perform very intricate and elaborate mating dances, and the fish will take on whichever role is needed! 

Indigo Hamlets can be kept in captivity, but they require larger aquariums due to their territorial nature.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : West Atlantic
Size : Length 5.5in (14cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Serranidae -- Genus : Hypoplectrus -- Species : H. indigo

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