Help ID Tilefish

[RJT]

I have had this guy for 7 months. The LFS where I got him from just called him a blue tilefish. Can anyone id him for me?

I thought it was a blue jaw but his colors aren't as bright. He may be one but I want to make sure. He may be a changing tilefish.

 

[Tony Gill]

It looks to be Hoplolatilus cuniculus (grey tilefish).

Tony

 

[RJT]

Thank you Tony!!!! I think you're right. The pics, very few online, of the grey tilefish is exactly like mine. How did you find it? There is very little info available on them.

 

[Tony Gill]

I'm a fish taxonomist, so identifying fish is what I do for a living (well, aside from a few other things)! I have access to a lot more literature on fish identification than most people, so have a bit of an advantage (though the internet has levelled the playing field a little ... though often you have to take identifications with a grain of salt). In this case, I used Gerry Allen and Mark Erdmann's (2012) three-volume "Reef Fishes of the East Indies", which includes photos of all but a couple of species of the genus.

Tony

 

[Tony Gill]

I neglected to include a summary of information on the species from Gerry and Mark's book. Known from east Africa to Micronesia and the Society Islands, and the northern Great Barrier Reef to the Ryukyu Islands (southern Japan). Found on rubble slopes on outer reefs in 25-115 metres. Grows to 16 cm. Lives as single individuals, pairs or loose colonies. Retreats into burrows when danger threatens.

Tony

 

[RJT]

Wow! You have the best books AND you read them. I'm impressed.

I have to figure out how to add my pic online for others to see. I could only find a few pics of them.

 

[RJT]

Thank you.

Mine lives with a red stripe tilefish. They swim together 99% of the time. Has a voracious appetite. Peaceful and does hide when scared. Lives well with snails. Bright reef lights does not affect them.