Dr. John Ernest (Jack) Randall (†), Hawaii
Info
Trimma longispinum Winterbottom, 2023
A new species of Trimma is described from Tabuaeran and Kirimati Atolls, Kiribati (formerly known as Fanning
Island and Christmas Island in the Line Islands, respectively). Trimma longispinum is characterized by a scaled
predorsal midline, the fifth pelvic-fin ray with one dichotomous branch point, 6–9 branched pectoral-fin rays,
the bony interorbital 30–42% pupil width with the posterolateral trench not reaching papilla p 6, no opercular
scales, and 8 or 9 anal-fin rays. It has 6 papillae in cheek row c, an elongate second spine of the first dorsal fin (to
the middle of the second dorsal fin or farther posteriorly when abducted), and a color pattern with red to yellow
saddles adjacent to the dorsum and on the anal fin and across the caudal peduncle. The species is also present off
Sand Island, Palmyra Atoll about 370 km to the north-west of Kiribati, as well as possibly at the Marshall Islands
(Eniwetok Atoll), and Guam (Mariana Islands).
Main reference:
Winterbottom, R. (2023). A new species of Trimma (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the northwestern tropical Pacific Ocean. Zenodo. , available online at https://oceansciencefoundation.org/josf/josf40b.pdf [details]
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!
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 new species of Trimma is described from Tabuaeran and Kirimati Atolls, Kiribati (formerly known as Fanning
Island and Christmas Island in the Line Islands, respectively). Trimma longispinum is characterized by a scaled
predorsal midline, the fifth pelvic-fin ray with one dichotomous branch point, 6–9 branched pectoral-fin rays,
the bony interorbital 30–42% pupil width with the posterolateral trench not reaching papilla p 6, no opercular
scales, and 8 or 9 anal-fin rays. It has 6 papillae in cheek row c, an elongate second spine of the first dorsal fin (to
the middle of the second dorsal fin or farther posteriorly when abducted), and a color pattern with red to yellow
saddles adjacent to the dorsum and on the anal fin and across the caudal peduncle. The species is also present off
Sand Island, Palmyra Atoll about 370 km to the north-west of Kiribati, as well as possibly at the Marshall Islands
(Eniwetok Atoll), and Guam (Mariana Islands).
Main reference:
Winterbottom, R. (2023). A new species of Trimma (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the northwestern tropical Pacific Ocean. Zenodo. , available online at https://oceansciencefoundation.org/josf/josf40b.pdf [details]
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!
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".
