OMG! Look at these hybrids and rare fishes!

[Digiman]

yeah. fishbase never state how to differentiate both but based on my own observation, excelsa's 3rd dorsal fin is higher than all the others while modestus is same.

also the spot.

Not true ba, some of the pics of modestus i googled the 3rd dorsal fin also highest. But some pics of modestus and excelsa seem to be the same, so i'm confused doubt the credibility of the web. Also judgin the difference jux base on the height of the 3rd dorsal fin does not sound convincing either. Too little info on the roa family, if now put up a roa jayakari it'll make things even worse.

I really wish i can get a small modestus... They are so nice...

U and your small! U know u'll not get it, not to mention a small one!

[yikai]

Ya but different color mah... Unless can request for small one, if not i dun think will get... LOL..

doesn't matter if different colour. it's still brown and white just different shade.

it's same concept as keeping an african flameback, brazilian flameback and resplendent in the same tank. the beauty of resplendent will look normal because of the flamebacks..

anyway all three melanopus, chrysozonus and modestus are beautiful. but if i were to keep a modestus, i will make sure there are no other similar looking fish to avoid these kinds of situations.

[yikai]

let's look at excelsa and modestus more clearly.

these are excelsa.

[yikai]

these are modestus

[Terryz_]

U and your small! U know u'll not get it, not to mention a small one!

HAHA...

[yikai]

can see that in

excelsa

- 3rd dorsal fin is higher than all others

- ocellatus is oblong and longer in shape

- dorsal spines are thicker, and more well defined

- body profile is higher

- white bars taper towards the top of the body

in modestus

- dorsal fin height is a gradual increase with no sudden elongation

- ocellatus is round

- dorsal spines thinner and less robust

- body profile is rounder

- white bars are rather parallel

i suspect many websites confuse modesta and excelsa, thus the confusion and misnaming between the two all over the internet. but if you take a close look, they are actually very different.

for simplicity's sake, lets not include jayakari.

[Terryz_]

doesn't matter if different colour. it's still brown and white just different shade.

it's same concept as keeping an african flameback, brazilian flameback and resplendent in the same tank. the beauty of resplendent will look normal because of the flamebacks..

anyway all three melanopus, chrysozonus and modestus are beautiful. but if i were to keep a modestus, i will make sure there are no other similar looking fish to avoid these kinds of situations.

I dun mind... Hehehe...

[Terryz_]

these are modestus

The 2nd one is nice...

[yikai]

also another difference is the doral spines for excelsa are so yellow and have a yellowish-brown hue, whereas modestus is paler and in some instances, even white.

[Digiman]

i suspect many websites confuse modesta and excelsa, thus the confusion and misnaming between the two all over the internet. but if you take a close look, they are actually very different.

for simplicity's sake, lets not include jayakari.

They are v different if we filter out the correct photos from the net, or so called the assumed correct photos. Best is to keep one yourself to know. Anyway i give up when fishes look too similar, i'll jux lump them up as one group and treat them as the same fish.

[yikai]

They are v different if we filter out the correct photos from the net, or so called the assumed correct photos. Best is to keep one yourself to know. Anyway i give up when fishes look too similar, i'll jux lump them up as one group and treat them as the same fish.

yes doesn't matter if it's excelsa or modestus since all so similar.

anyway we will never get excelsa so just assume everything is modestus LOL

[Digiman]

The 2nd one is nice...

Second one look so copperband. Excelsa photos are all nicer, the body is sharper and bands less parallel and consistent. Oh i forgot u slight OCD and cant stand disorganised or unbalanced patterns, that's why u like modestus more. I prefer imperfection.

[yikai]

Second one look so copperband. Excelsa photos are all nicer, the body is sharper and bands less parallel and consistent. Oh i forgot u slight OCD and cant stand disorganised or unbalanced patterns, that's why u like modestus more. I prefer imperfection.

i have massive OCD problems in real life but when it comes to fish, the more imperfect the better.

i get so.. urrgh.. when i see people choose flame angels with equal bars on both sides and all must be parallel. but different people different fish bah.

[Terryz_]

Second one look so copperband. Excelsa photos are all nicer, the body is sharper and bands less parallel and consistent. Oh i forgot u slight OCD and cant stand disorganised or unbalanced patterns, that's why u like modestus more. I prefer imperfection.

Finally you understand my taste...

[Terryz_]

i have massive OCD problems in real life but when it comes to fish, the more imperfect the better.

i get so.. urrgh.. when i see people choose flame angels with equal bars on both sides and all must be parallel. but different people different fish bah.

I would not be so detailed lar.. But I wun get one if one side got split bar but the other side is normal bar... As long as both side looks similar can..

[yikai]

omg! the tripod fish! Bathypterois grallator

[Terryz_]

omg! the tripod fish! Bathypterois grallator

Seen them before, i really wonder how strong is the fins that it can support the fish...

[yikai]

Seen them before, i really wonder how strong is the fins that it can support the fish...

amazingly there are 30+ species in 5 genera for the tripod fishes.

the fins are very stiff but when it swims you can see that they are actually quite flexible.

but dun forget everything is much much lighter in water. so no surprise that the fins can support it.

[Digiman]

amazingly there are 30+ species in 5 genera for the tripod fishes.

the fins are very stiff but when it swims you can see that they are actually quite flexible.

but dun forget everything is much much lighter in water. so no surprise that the fins can support it.

The fishes from the abyss are always so bizarre and mystical.

Anyway lunatus wrasse pair right, so nice:

[Terryz_]

The fishes from the abyss are always so bizarre and mystical.

Anyway lunatus wrasse pair right, so nice:

YUP... Too bad, it is difficult to get them...

[orsony]

baby yasha goby! bet you've never seen one before! neither have i!

Have lah. Last 3-4 weeks CF have a lot. about 10 mm size of the panda goby

[yikai]

The fishes from the abyss are always so bizarre and mystical.

Anyway lunatus wrasse pair right, so nice:

this is C. johnsoni.

lunatus female has stripes. moreover the red and blue margined tail is johnsoni.

[yikai]

Have lah. Last 3-4 weeks CF have a lot. about 10 mm size of the panda goby

wah so small!

[yikai]

Chaetodon blackburnii.

[yikai]

some old pictures of shepardi and rusty flames

the 2nd one abit too red. i'm thinking it could be a normal flame.