Some recent catches.... Old Woman Angelfish

[ml708]

I saw them kept before in osaka aquarium before, really cool fish! Not sure how trawlers bring them up alive. If I can get hold of one I will set up a tank specially for it with a compressor chiller to reach that temp

[Narcosis1]

Yeah they are found extremely deep, when we dive over 60 m we have seen a few new species of fish but when you are that deep decompression is really difficult especially since I do not practice needling. I have no idea how they get them up alive as well, rapid decompression will lead to massive bloating from the internal gases expanding. Not even a recompression chamber would help if they are brought up that quick.

[tcg170980]

cant we just release the gas by using a needle?

Sound cruel but that's I do when I go fishing. those fishes still swim away safely after we release the gas.

[ml708]

It can potentially lead to infection. You never know how the fish is doing after it swims away.

[Narcosis1]

How do you know they swim away safely? Infection takes time to show and is a long process. Needling is very risky, I know certain guys say yes it's fine the fish will recover, etc but this is not always the case. I practice staged decompression, it's natural way, allowing the fish to release the gas build up over a period of time. Much safer.

[Terryz_]

I saw them kept before in osaka aquarium before, really cool fish! Not sure how trawlers bring them up alive. If I can get hold of one I will set up a tank specially for it with a compressor chiller to reach that temp

They are not there anymore, I just went there last year june.. They normally are by catch and so if they survive they earn from it if not then they dun lose anything either their main income is from the foodfish that they trawl up.

[Terryz_]

How do you know they swim away safely? Infection takes time to show and is a long process. Needling is very risky, I know certain guys say yes it's fine the fish will recover, etc but this is not always the case. I practice staged decompression, it's natural way, allowing the fish to release the gas build up over a period of time. Much safer.

But there are some fishes even with stage decompression they are still unable to survive and needling is the only way, risky but sometimes with good results.

[Dispar_Anthias]

Hi LemonLemon,

My pair of personatus was in fact not a pair. The female get larger and larger. It has the tendency to change to a male personatus. I have record down the color pattern changes of the female. It's face dark region becoming bigger and bigger Therefore the existing male get use to give pressure on the female very often. They quarrel all day long. Sometimes, the female even win the battle between them. I think that it is one of the reason why the female can not come across the velvet attack! I have great desire to acquire a small size female personatus. Nowaday, personatus is less likely to obtain. I think that part of the reason is that Hawaii loss some deep diver. Less diver risk their life to catch such fish. As you know, Rufus's team prefer to catch more expensive and more readily available Pepermint than less expensive and less available Personatus.

Hi Nacrosis 1,

Of course, I am a reeffish lover. Kingi is one of my dream fish. I was told that some Kingi is not export from SA but east africa. It is much easily to export from the route of east africa. The Kingi come from east africa should be cheaper! I also find that the color pattern of the gem tang. There is some difference between the gem tang from east africa and SA. I like the SA gem tang more. Am I misleading by someone or is it the fact!

I was just going through this thread slowly and saw this question about gem tang. Yes, there is a slight differences between the gem tang from Mauritius (probably E.Africa) compared the SA ones. I have kept both before, a 3inch specimen of the SA (lost her due to velvet) one and Mauritius (sold her away as i am seeking another SA specimen) one and in terms of colourations, the SA one is much blacker and has more define white spots compared to the mauritius ones. There is a thread in RC in which J. Coppolino mentioned that Mauritius Gem and SA gem looking slightly different.

Still seeking my SA gem again but most are dinner plate size.

[ml708]

They are not there anymore, I just went there last year june.. They normally are by catch and so if they survive they earn from it if not then they dun lose anything either their main income is from the foodfish that they trawl up.

Sigh, seems like mortality of fish in public aquariums is really high too. Do public aquariums have to replace fish on a regular basis? The last time I was there was two years ago September if I recall correctly, at least 20 of them in the deepwater exhibit.

[ml708]

Have you ever encountered a coelacanth on your deep dives Narcosis1? I believe some can be encountered at the depths you dive to. Has anyone attempted to bring one to the surface?

[Narcosis1]

Dispar that is correct, I have seen Gem Tangs that have been imported from Mauritius, they do differ to the ones I have caught locally. Recently finding small ones have been a bit difficult, they are around though, but we have huge ones as well, I'm talking huge!

[Narcosis1]

Terryz I understand what you mean. For me it's like this. Needling fish should never be done, staged decompression is safe and natural. I have caught Kingis and decompressed them over 2 days and when I pulled them up they are bloated and can't swim properly. Then I drop the deco line back done and start again. Take Peppermints for example, a bunch of them died, I don't know from what but it would be interesting to see how they do if they were brought up over a number of days. Not something I would try, you don't do it right then things can go bad.

[Narcosis1]

My dive team did a and dive and encountered 3 at 113m. They are only found in a marine protected area, no collecting allowed.

[Dispar_Anthias]

Dispar that is correct, I have seen Gem Tangs that have been imported from Mauritius, they do differ to the ones I have caught locally. Recently finding small ones have been a bit difficult, they are around though, but we have huge ones as well, I'm talking huge!

I am still waiting for a SA gem tang, the black is really black and the spots are very prominent making the contrast very obvious and beautiful. But at a size of 2-3 inches

[Narcosis1]

They are beautiful, I have seen Gems that size but they usually in open areas, very difficult to catch. Big ones easy to get, no problem. When I dive that spot again I will try and take some photos.

[Terryz_]

Terryz I understand what you mean. For me it's like this. Needling fish should never be done, staged decompression is safe and natural. I have caught Kingis and decompressed them over 2 days and when I pulled them up they are bloated and can't swim properly. Then I drop the deco line back done and start again. Take Peppermints for example, a bunch of them died, I don't know from what but it would be interesting to see how they do if they were brought up over a number of days. Not something I would try, you don't do it right then things can go bad.

I do agree it is the safest and natural way without any invasive method to the fish and understand why you stand by it completely..

[Terryz_]

Sigh, seems like mortality of fish in public aquariums is really high too. Do public aquariums have to replace fish on a regular basis? The last time I was there was two years ago September if I recall correctly, at least 20 of them in the deepwater exhibit.

Are you talking about the lumpfish in the artic exhibit?

[Terryz_]

Narcosis, the recent shipment of old womenn in thailand is from you? There is a nice transitioning one..

[Narcosis1]

It takes longer but atleast the fish will be in the best possible condition. I had a Regal Angel that was struggling to decompress he didnt look like he would of made it, serious bloating and unbalanced, so I just released him, I thought about needling but wasnt really worth it.

[ml708]

Are you talking about the lumpfish in the artic exhibit?

No, it was the deepsea exhibit with spider crabs

[Terryz_]

No, it was the deepsea exhibit with spider crabs

As far as I can remember I dun think there is any in the spider crab exhibit. Only spider crabs.

[Terryz_]

It takes longer but atleast the fish will be in the best possible condition. I had a Regal Angel that was struggling to decompress he didnt look like he would of made it, serious bloating and unbalanced, so I just released him, I thought about needling but wasnt really worth it.

True, some of the more common species are not really worth it to needle and bring it up..

[Narcosis1]

Yeah, a $10 k fish is not worth putting a needle in.

[ml708]

Hi Narcosis, just interested to know if you have made deep night dives, and if the organisms are different.

[Narcosis1]

Not really deep, I am not that experienced or very comfortable on deep night dives.