Redfish Magazine (European Edition) (January 2013)

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Barbs - an introduction

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Aqua One products are widely available at most quality pet
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Off the Shelf

Aqua One Xpression Nano Aquarium

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The LED lighting and included
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aquarium while you enjoy the
visually stunning spectrum that is
the colourful fish and ornaments
contained within the aquarium.

Aqua One products are widely
available at most quality pet
retailers. To find your nearest
retailer, visit www.aquaone.com.
au

Aqua One ThermoSub Substrate Heating Cable

Keep fresh and beautiful looking plants with Aqua One's
ThermoSub Substrate Heating Cable!

The cable helps to maintain a substrate temperature
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plant metabolism and in turn increases uptake of nutri-
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the water column.

The temperature difference helps bring nutrients to plant
roots where they are more readily adsorbed than through
the leaves providing a long-term healthy environment for
your plants and fish!

Aqua One products are widely available at most qual-
ity pet retailers. To find your nearest retailer, visit www.
aquaone.com.au

WBHw

Off the shelf « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 5

Reader's Tai^S

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Readers Tanks « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 8

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The barbs include a diverse array of suitable fishes for the aquarium. There's a lot of bad press
regarding barbs, and one fish - the fin-nipping tiger barb - has generated most of it. It is certainly
true that the tiger barb is nippy and can shred the fins of slow moving fishes such as gourami,
guppies, mollies and angelfish. There are, however, many other barbs that make ideal and peace-
ful aquarium residents.

Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that barbs are active fish and this activity can be distressing
for some slow moving species (such as Bettas) and can also effect feeding via competition. This
aside, hardy, beautiful and active barbs make long lasting and interesting display fishes. With the
huge variety of species available there's likely to be something in the group to suit your aquarium.

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Most, but not all barbs, are included in the genus Puntius. The genus hails from Asia with species being

found throughout Southern Asia, India and Sri Lanka.

Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 10

..i^- l,u.i^> u.^ cm artificial assemblage
of fishes within the family Cyprinidae.
The name 'Barb' is derived from the
genus in which many aquarium barbs
were originally placed: Barbus. Recent
taxonomic revisions have variously
moved many Barbus species into (and
back out of) other genera including
Barbodes, Capoeta and Puntius.

Today the taxonomy of the group is

far from settled and in this article I've known Danios. Afri<

used the taxonomic system used by are sometimes treai

fishbase.org. This system places most nae), although this t

Asian aquarium barbs in the genus

Puntius. The genus Puntius contains

some 120 species many of which are ideal aquarium residents.

the subfamily that contains most barbs is sister to the well
known Danios. African Barbs, such as Barbus fasciolatus,
are sometimes treated as a separate subfamily (Labeoni-
nae), although this taxonomy is not universally accepted.

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Sri Lanka's Horton Plains National Park is home to an array of barbs including the Two Spot Barb, Black

ruby Barb, Cherry Barb and Black-lined Barb.

Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 »11

tidhikukoh

The vast majority of barbs occur in Southern
Asia, India and Sri Lanka. Some species do oc-
cur in southern Europe and Africa, though the
group is absent from the Americas and Austra-
lia. In their natural habitat Asian barbs gener-
ally dominate the "small fishes" niche, much as
tetras and dwarf cichlids do in South America.
This article focuses on Asian barbs, though sev-
eral infrequently available African barbs, notably
Barbus fasciolatus and Barbus callipterus, are
also worth keeping if you if can obtain stock.

Barbs occupy a range of niches throughout
Asia: occurring in lakes, rivers and streams
along with man-made ecosystems such as rice
paddies. There are barbs that live in rapids,
such as the Asoka Barb (Puntius asoka), while
most species prefer slower moving water. These
slow-water environments are typically closer to
stream edges and in backwaters and eddies.

The iconic Tiger Barb occurs through the Malay

Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. It has a reputation

for being nippy, and while they can be - keeping

the species in a large group (> 6 individuals) helps

minimise the impact of this behaviour. Better still, a

large school of Tiger Barbs look great and make big

impact in the display freshwater aquarium.

Lemon fin barbs are somtimes available in the aquarium hobby. This species, formerly known by hobbyists

as Barbus daruphani is more correctly Hypsibarbus wetmorei. It's a larger growing species that can reach

lengths of 25cm. The species occurs in Maeklong, Mekong and Chao Phraya basins. Photo by Mike Atkins.

Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 12

Destruction of Peat Swamp Forests in Asia
threatens the environment of many Pun-
tius species. Mostly, these forests are bein;
cleared for the planting of commericial oil
palm (Elaeis guineensis) production.

PHOTOS:

Borneo peat swamp forests seen burning from a sat-
ellite. Photo by NASA.
Puntius hexazona by Budi Lukman.

wM

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Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 13

Most barbs are omnivores and as such eat both
plant and animal material. In the aquarium at
least they leave most plants alone though some
species have a tendency to chew on the edges
of soft-leaved plants. In the wild most barbs
are opportunistic and feed on insect larvae,
small annelid worms, eggs and fry of other fish
when available. When animal foods are not
available most species will consume more plant
material and even algae.

Small barbs are frequently consumed by larger
barbs - some of which reach more than 50 cm!
~ along with other Asian predators such as
catfishes (notably bagrids and clariids), snake-
heads (Channa spp.), knifefishes (Notopterus
spp.), nandids, arrowanas (Scleropages formo-
sus) and various sleeper gobies (family Eleotri-
dae).

Chitala bland (Royal Knifefish) co-occurs in Asia with
barb species on which it feeds. Photo Peter Potrowl.

Prior to saying anything else about keeping
barbs there's one important rule that is worth
keeping in mind. All barbs are schooling fish.
This necessitates that you keep at least six indi-
viduals (10-12 would be better) of each species
in an aquarium. If you can't house this number,
I'd advise you to move on to non-schooling
fishes. Thankfully, barbs come in an assortment
of sizes so keeping a small group is manage-
able in most aquariums. I've provided some
better (and worse) selections in the tables at
the end of this article.
Aquarium size is also important. I consider
40-80 litres to be a minimum aquarium volume
for tropical fish. For the small barbs (Table 1)
this size aquarium would be adequate for 6-14
individuals and some associated clean-up fish.
For larger barbs (Table 2), 120-200 litres should
be considered a minimum. Schools of Spanner
or T-bar Barbs, at almost 18 cm, would require
a larger aquarium. For the well-being of the
fish, and for aesthetic reasons, it's generally
better to have one large group of one species,
than three smaller groups of different species.
In aquascaping, like gardening and interior
design, repetition equals impact!

Most barbs require neutral, to slightly acidic,
water which while not soft, isn't hard either.

Insect larvae, including mosquito larvae, and small

worms are relished by most small Puntius species.

Photo by James Gathany, CDC.

One of the smallest barb species, the Cherry Barb

(this is a male) only grows to a few centimetres. Its

small size is not its only attribute that is desirable.

Indeed, it is brightly coloured and arguably the most

placid species in the Puntius genus.

Photo by Brian Gratwicke.

Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 14

The barb aquarium is awash with colour and movement!

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Cherry barb

Puntius titteya

5

Sri Lanka

Cherry barbs are perhaps the perfect
choice for beginners. Peaceful, beautiful
and readily available. Females and males
are easily distinguished by their colour.

Checker barb

Puntius oligolepis

5

Sumatra, Indo-
nesia

Checker barbs are less brightly coloured
than most other barbs, but a large group
of these beautiful fish still make an im-
pact!

Greenstripe barb

Puntius vittatus

5

India, Pakistan
and Sri Lanka

Like the checker barb, the greenstripe
barb is a subtly coloured fish, again the
best use is in a large group.

Two-spot barb

Puntius cumingii

6

Sri Lanka

Two black spots on a bronze-green body
make the two-spot barb a very attractive
addition to the community aquarium.

Black ruby barb

Puntius nigrofasciatus

6

Sri Lanka

Probably the most beautiful of the
smaller barb, black ruby barbs are a stun-
ning fish!

Five-banded barb

Puntius pentazona

6

India

Not to be confused with the superficially
similar tiger barb, the five-banded barb is
a peaceful, almost shy species that ben-
efits from dense planting in the aquari-
um. Ideal for aquarists wanting tiger barb
looks without tiger barb problems.

Melon barb

Puntius fasciatus

6

India, Burma,
Indonesia

Looking a little like juvenile spanner
barbs, melon barbs are a beautifully
striped species for the aquarium.

Gold barb

Puntius semifascio-
iatus

7

China

Gold barbs are readily available in almost
every retail aquarium Australia-wide.
Their striking colour develops further as
they age.

Two-spot barb, Red-
side barb

Puntius bimaculatus

7

India and Sri
Lanka

While this species shares a common name
with P. cumingii, this species looks very
different -- it's not as deep bodied and is
more elongated. The two black spots are
on the caudal peduncle and dorsal fin.

There's a subtle beauty to the Checker Barb (Puntius oligolepis). Dismissed by many an aquarist as just an-
other grey fish the species is peaceful, interestingly patterned and a delight to sit and watch.

Photo by Budi Lukman.

Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 16

mh 2: Ij MOitmi

Striped barb

Puntius johorensis

10

Burma, Indone-
sia, Malaysia and
Thailand

The striped barb is probably my favou-
rite barb species that's readily available
in Australia. Numerous black stripes run
horizontally along the length of the fish.
In a group of 10-15 individuals this is an
amazing addition to the planted aquari-
um. Sometimes listed as P. lineatus.

Arulius barb

Puntius arulius

12

India

Arulius barbs are the ugly ducklings of the
aquarium trade. Rarely do such unimpres-
sive juveniles grow into such magnificent
adults. With their elongated filaments on
the dorsal fin a group of arulius can make
a great visual impact!

Rosy barb

Puntius conchonius

14

Afghanistan, Ban-
gladesh, Burma,
India, Nepal,
Pakistan

Rosy barbs are a subtropical species and
can tolerate temperatures down to 18° C.
They are a large barb (reaching 14 cm),
though most aquarium individuals only
reach 7-8 cm. Avoid the unusual colour
morphs of this species as they are less
hardy than the "wild" colouration.

Clown barb

Puntius everetti

14

Borneo, Sumatra

This species has a superficial, yet unmis-
takable similarity to the clown loach. It's
a large growing species, which like all
barbs is best in groups.

Red line torpedo
barb, Denison barb

Puntius denisonii

15

India

Above all other barbs discussed in this
article, the red line torpedo barb is prob-
ably the most fashionable barb at pres-
ent. With its elongate shape and bright
red stripes it looks more a raspora or
scissortail than a barb.

Spanner barb, T-barb

Puntius tateristriga

18

Burma, Indone-
sia, Malaysia and
Thailand

Spanner barbs are stout-bodied, large
growing barbs that are ideal with mid-
sized unaggressive cichlids such as Heros
severus. They have an interesting T
pattern on their flanks which gives rise to
their common name: t-barb.

Where the Checker Barb is a classic MG, the Red Line Torpedo Barb is the Lamborghini of the genus Puntius.
Adapted for fast-flowing water the species has a sleek, elongate body complete with racing stripes.

Photo by Budi Lukman.

Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 17

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Tiger barb

Puntius tetrazona

7

Borneo, Sumatra

Beautiful and feisty, tiger barbs are
responsible for the majority of bad press
given to barbs. Can nip fins. Keep in
groups of 12-20 individuals in aquaria
large enough to house such a group. Avoid
including any slow-moving species or
species with long fins with tiger barbs.
Several varieties (green mossy, albino
etc) are available, though most are, in
the author's opinion, not an improvement
on the beauty of the wild form.

Orange buffalo barb

Puntius rhomboocel-
latus

6

Borneo

Puntius rhomboocellatus is a beautiful
species of barb that unfortunately can be
challenging to keep. The species requires
soft, acidic water and is best kept in
densely planted aquariums. As such the
species can be housed with South Ameri-
can dwarf cichlids and hardier tetras.

Asoka barb

Puntius asoka

17

Sri Lanka

This species of barb is endangered in
the wild so only captive bred individu-
als should be purchased. The asoka barb
is an attractively spotted shark-like fish
that requires fast water movement in the
aquarium. Best kept with other rheophilic
species such as lionhead cichlids, loaches
and suckermouthed catfishes.

Tinfoil barb

Barbonymus
schwanenfeldii

30

Burma, Indone-
sia, Malaysia and
Thailand

Small tinfoil barbs are sometimes avail-
able to hobbyists. This attractive fish
grows much too large for most aquarists
reaching over 30 cm in length. Despite its
size it's a peaceful, though sensitive spe-
cies. The requirement for the species to
be kept in group further complicates the
space requirements of the species.

The beautiful Orange Buffalo Barb is a relative newcomer to the hobby, but it can be somewhat tricky to

care for succesfully in the longterm. Avoid it if you're new to this group of fish.

Photo by Budi Lukman.

Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 18

Thankfully in Australia, most municipal water
supplies are ideal for this hardy group of
fishes and do not require modification other
than the removal of chlorine and chloramine
using a good quality water ager. Most spe-
cies come from relatively slow-moving water
and this should be reflected in the choice of
water current provided in the aquarium. In
aquariums with powerful filters, water cur-
rent can be slowed via the use of dissipating
add-ons such as spray bars that reduce uni-
directional current. For the most part Asian
barbs are tropical fishes and will do well in
water temperatures of 22-28° C, though
some species, such as the rosy barb, will
tolerate lower temperatures.

Provided suitable quateres to accomodate for their

larger size, Spanner Barbs do well in aquariums and

are placid residents best kept with larger fish.

As for all tropical fishes, the aquarium setup
should mimic the natural habitat. Such rep-
lication can be easily achieved using Asian
aquatic plants such as crypts (Cryptocorne
spp.) and Java fern (Microsorum pteropus).
I've also seen asian-style aquariums with
4cm diam. bamboo canes included in the
background that look very effective (despite
the actual absence of any aquatic species of
bamboo). There are numerous species that
are well suited to co-habit with barbs includ-
ing larger tetras, West African dwarf cichlids,
Corydoras catfish and the like. If you're look-
ing to maintain an Asian theme - why not
consider other Asian fishes such as raspo-
ras and loaches. To avoid using American
sucker-mouthed catfishes for algae clean-
up, both the sucking loach ~ Gyrinocheilus
aymonieri ~ (also called the Chinese algae
eater) and the Siamese algae eater (Cros-
socheilus siamensis) are useful additions to
the aquarium. The former should be added
alone, while the latter in a small school.

Sawbwa barb (Sawbwa resplendens) is an unusual

and rare barb, endemic to Inle Lake in Burma.

Photo by: The Man On The Street at en.wikipedia

Barbs are, for the most part, unfussy feed-
ers that will consume most offerings pro-
vided by the aquarist. Be sure to provide
your barbs with a variety of high quality food
items. Prepared diets are suitable; though
only buy small amounts, as fish food tends
to lose vitamins and quality after lengthy
storage. Similarly, frozen and parasite-free
live foods are also acceptable. When provid-
ed with clean water, high quality foods and a

A large group of Tinfoil Barbs (Barbonymus

schwanenfeldii) in a European aquarium.

Photo by Eva (waterlily78 @ flickr)

Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 19

stress-free existence, breeding is generally less
difficult.

Like many other cyprinids, barbs are egg scat-
tering fishes that show no brood care and will
actively eat their own eggs, after spawning,
given the opportunity. Breeding barbs therefore
necessitates a dedicated breeding aquarium.
The requirements for each species are broadly
similar, though the details of age of maturity,
spawning cues and the like differ.

For a hypothetical, generic barb the ideal breed-
ing aquarium therefore should be setup as fol-
lows: The breeding aquarium should contain
well-cycled, aged water that is identical to that
in the display aquarium in which the barbs are
normally housed. It should include a base which
allows eggs to be safe from their parents. Such
a base can be achieved using large marbles
(which exclude the adults) or a spawning grid
suspended from the base of the aquarium. It
should also include dense Java moss (Taxiphyl-
lum barbieri syn. Versicularia dubyana) that as-
sists the spawning pair to feel comfortable and
further provides some protection to the eggs. A
sponge filter, powered by an air pump, should
provide the filtration for the breeding setup.

With colours like these, it's little wonder barbs are

aquarium favourites!

■rr .

Puntius bimaculatus (Red-side or Two-spot barb).
Photo by Anandara J Kumar

Choose a courting pair of barbs from the display
aquarium and transfer them to the breeding

aquarium. For some species it can be advantageous to separate the females for a few days prior
to the males to allow them to "plump up" with eggs. Depending on the species the pair should
be left in the breeding aquarium until spawning is completed (usually this is for 0.5 to 3 days).
The eggs of most barbs species are relatively large and the fry will be able to feed on either
newly hatched brine shrimp, microworms or powdered flake foods soon after hatching. Hatching
for most species takes between two and five days. Within 12-16 weeks the fry of most species
resemble the adults.

(W

The barbs are a diverse and interesting group of fishes. Kept in community, species-only, or
Asian biotype aquariums they can be a stunning addition to the home aquarium. Finally remem-
ber to keep all barbs in groups of six or more and you'll be rewarded with hardy, spectacular
fish! 4*

Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 20

•

I

Introduction:

The chocolate cichlid is another of South Americas underrated species. This is a large cichlid (2u
30cm) which is quite gentle natured, despite its size. This, however, should not suggest that they
should be housed with small fishes such as neon tetras - which they will readily consume.

^

The tank should be well planted with tough indigestable species, such as java fern and anubias. If
possible, plants should be placed such that the tank can only be viewed from one side, this helps
to reduce the stress the cichlid feels at being "exposed" to predators. In addition the tank should
be furnished with wood, dark subrstrate and floating plants. The dark substrate and floating
plant cover help further to calm this nervous cichlid.

There are some reports that this fish will leap out of the water to catch flying insects -
tight fitting (and adequately thick) tank lids are required.

i ne species is reasoi
may be helpful in chc._ ... ,
"pittina" diseases when it

^nsitive to dissolved metal ions (from pipes) ai
] some of these free ions. The species is knowr
letal ion concentrations are too hiah.

peat filtration

Species:

ypselecara temporalis
.unther, 1862)

Synoma:

ros aoel-

diL H. crassa, uchlasoma

temporalis

Origin:

South America, wide-
spread, Amazon river
drainages. Some variation
does exist in populations
along the length of the
Amazon.

Photo by Budi Lukman

Photo by Budi Lukman

Natural habitat:

Stagnant, generally in white wat
black and clear water habitats.

Lvi^ir^tf^tHtl]Mi¥!Jlll

wild:

2.0m deep. The
st all cases the sp

ne species nas, nowever, ais

sr float

nt cover

^

gree; kH - < 1 degree; con-
ductivity 127 microsemens
(@26 °C)

Husbandry:

H. temporalis is a re
peaceful cichlid and will tol-

peacerui acniia ana win tol-
erate other peaceful species.
Other Chocolates should b^
removed once a pair forms.

J

>!1

-

I he species is an unfussy

r I i , ,ii In the wild, Chocolate cichlids are found in vegetation-covered waters that are slow-

Teeder, DUX some vegetaDie moving. The use of floating plants (where the law permits) in aquariums is useful in

content should be included. recreating the habitat of this majestic species.

Breeding is straightforward

once a pair has formed. They are typical open spawning cichlids. Pairs may eat their clutch if
uncomfortable so ensure they have adequate cover. Fry should be removed once they are free-
swimming and feeding well on crushed flake/pellet foods. Chocolate cichlids are a joy to keep --
xney may not be be brightest coloured species - but they are facsinating nevertheless. 4*

Tropical « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 22

\

the art of fish shopping

Opinion « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 23

So t40U/'v& kjmJitelito tk&ykx)pAs, wow vuvvb ^otthat (U)hnMAA/-
hJ&M tcihk vaxk <*i kofvies; it (£eAAxM hjaJh botvw hM UmcJuii-
ahtbs. hut what to tuut ifo ojmL IkoiA) do iaolo WjoohJb c\ooci btocfc

ovvca t40U/'v& dexuAeJy wkat to oJLAa

Speak to most experienced hobbyists, those people really, really into their fish, and they'll
tell you that you should know the fish you want before you walk into the store - and you
shouldn't make any impulse purchases. I think this is probably over the top, and if you're
shopping with a trusted retailer (and I advise you to seek one out!) the staff at stores can
frequently help with your purchase - even when you know relatively little about your pur-
chase. Here's a quick guide to choosing fish and a local fish store that hopefully will help to
avoid purchasing fish in poor condition or those species that are unsuited to your setup or
level of experience.

Choosing a store

When I Iook for a local aquarium, somewhat perversely I'm encouraged by what isn't for
sale or on display. Every store and every aquarist has purchased fish that aren't in the
best health. In good aquariums, these fish aren't for sale. Sometimes there's a note on the
aquarium declaring "not for sale", sometimes staff will steer you away from a purchase ex-
plaining that those fish are recovering or being treated. This is great sign that you're going
to have positive experiences.

Fish with obvious signs of disease, like this cichlid with White Spot (caused by the protozoan Ichthyophthi-

rius multifiliis), should be avoided. Some species eg. Clown Loaches and Tangs are particularly prone to this

and similar infections. A good local fish store can assist you in avoiding these parasites!

Opinion « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 24

< £■*>

*» .

k -* * ^* |L

*****

J,*

fc**

This Betta has a severe Velvet infection. Looking for signs of disease not only helps you avoid a bad pur-
chase, but protects the fish at home in your existing setup from the introduction of parasites.

"tohMwhc^ 9'fw o§teK eMX)u)uu^eA via wkat

lA/t/ V hoh/ h/vLb OK Oh/ oLU^pXXUA - good aquarium staff will tell you what not to buy!

Take your time in the aquarium, look around at the stock for sale, introduce yourself and
your interests, discuss your situation, expertise and current aquarium residents with the
staff. Again, being steered away from a purchase that's not a good match for you and your
aquarium is a positive sign that you're dealing with a good aquarium store. Of course, the
fundamentals: clean premises, memberships to relevant ethical societies, no dead fish on
display, tanks not overcrowded all apply - but take these last points with a grain of salt.
I've seen perfect-looking, spotless aquariums from which I wouldn't purchase and I've seen
the reverse. It can't be stressed enough that a good retailer is worth their weight in gold.
They're keen to see you succeed in the long term, not just for some purchase today - it's
in their interest!

Choosing fish

While I said above that the hobbyist mantra to research your fish prior to purchase can be
a bit over the top, it's also universally a good idea. Thankfully, the internet means you've
the collective wisdom of thousands of aquarists at your beck and call, and if you're armed
with a smart phone it certainly doesn't hurt to have a quick look at the maximum size and

Opinion « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 25

husbandry notes for that fish that you
just have to buy. If you're in the store I
described above, choosing fish is remark-
ably easy. Ask the staff for good choices
and you'll be guided to healthy, active and
suitable residents for your aquarium. Sad-
ly, not everyone has that local fish store
- so if you're feeling a bit alone in your de-
cision making, here's what I look for prior
to purchase: Look for fish with a full but
not bloated belly. Don't just look at the
one individual you're interested in, have a
look over the whole tank. Are all the fish
behaving normally? Are there any signs of
sick fish or odd behaviour? Avoid fish with
even minor injuries - these often recover,
but they are best left with experts. Dis-
ease often manifests itself subtly - look
for small spots on the fishes flanks, red-
ness about the gills or lesions anywhere on
the body. These are signs of poor fish health
and such individuals shouldn't be added to
your display aquarium.

Success with your aquarium starts with good
stock. Find yourself a good store - with good
stock and you'll have a good experience. 4&

Two of the poster children for bad purchases. The

Redtail Catfish and the Oscar -- both are fine in the

care of experienced hobbyists, but make very poor

additions to the community aquarium!

Photo (top): Elma (ulfhams vikingur)

Photo (bottom): Daniella Vereeken

Which Goldfish do you choose? Pick an active individual, that's brightly coloured without any signs of dis-
ease. The fancier varieties tend not to be as hardy (though this isn't always true).

Opinion « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 26

Clovelly Bay
snorkelling

BY JESSICA DRAKE

When you think of great places to snor-
kel, where you might be able to swim
with a multitude of brightly coloured
fish, you'd probably immediately think
of tropical waters. The temperate ma-
rine environment found in the waters of
Sydney, Australia may not quite rival the
colour and diversity of the Great Barrier
Reef, but there is more to be found here
than you might think. Qovelly Bay, in the
Eastern suburbs of Sydney, is a remark-
able place to snorkel.

It is a long narrow bay which has a rock
wall at the ocean end of the bay. Al-
though the rock wall does not protrude
above the surface it does provide a bar-
rier which dissipates the ocean waves
and forms a large calm pool which is
essentially as close as you'll get to a
"natural aquarium". This area is at the

SCUBA divers at Clovelly Bay.

Photo by Mados

www.flickr.com/people/mados/

35J*fc.Jt

Clovelly Bay, in temperate Sydney's eastern suburbs, is a popular spot for beach goers and snorkellers.
This is due to its narrow but deep channel with a rock wall blocking the more extreme ocean currents.

Marine « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 28

very southern end of the distribution for
many tropical species of fish and also at
the northern end of distribution for many
southern temperate species, so a very
diverse range can be seen.

The fish in the bay are well used to a
constant stream of swimmers and snor-
kellers and as a result most are very
tame. Highlights of a tour of the bay
include:

The Eastern Blue Groper [Achoerodus
viridis) for which the bay is famed. De-
spite the common name, these fish are
actually a large species of wrasse. All
juveniles are olive coloured females,
with the largest, most dominant fish in
a given territory becoming a spectacular
blue male. They can reach a length of
1.2 metres and may weigh as much as
22kg. They are generally bold fish which
are quite happy to be hand fed by hu-

Curious and sociable the Blue Groper often swims

close to divers and snorkellers and will feed from the

hand. These large wrasses are often accompanied by

a host of smaller fish feeding on leftovers!

Photo by Iennyk410.

www.flickr.eom/photos/57527070@N06/

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The beautiful Blue Groper (Achoerodus viridis) is a popular resident of Clovelly Bay.

Marine « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 29

Blue gropers are protgynous hermaphrodites. All juveniles are female and are differently coloured to the
adults. Despite the name, Blue Gropers aren't gropers, they are a large species of wrasse, the Eastern blue

gropers grows to 1 .2 m (3.9') in length and weights of 22 kg (49 lb).

mans. In the following pages you'll see
photos of both the current large domi-
nant male of Qovelly Bay and also a
large subdominant female. She still has
an olive coloured body but is already
starting to display tinges of blue on her
head. Should anything happen to the
dominant male she will quickly change
sex and colour and become a blue male
herself.

There are many smaller wrasse species
to be found in the bay. These include the
Redspot Wrasse {Stethojulis bandanen-
sis), a tropical species which just man-
ages to extend its distribution to Sydney
and the Senator Wrasse [Rictilabrus
latidavius) which although colourful, is
actually a temperate species. The Pearly
Wrasse [Halichoeres margaritaceus)
has bright green spangled scales which
sparkle in the sunlight.

Blue Gropers leave a trail of eaten Black Sea Urchins
(Centrostephanus rodgersii) in their wake.
Photo by Mados
www.flickr.com/people/mados/

Marine « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 30

/

velly Bay, Sydney, Australia.

anne « Rednsh Magazine 2013: 18» 31

Large schools of placid Luderick [Cirella
tricuspidata) are happy to graze on the
rocte and will rarely scatter as people
swim by. Other vegetarians found in
large numbers on the rocte are the
Sea Hares (of the Aplysidae family - in
Sydney, several Dolabella species are
found), which are a type of sea slug.
With careful observation amongst the
crevices in the rocte, you may find
smaller species of colourful nudibranchs
as well as a shy octopus or two.

Small groups of Flutemouths [Fistularia
commersonii), which are relatives of
the pipefishes and seahorses, are fre-
quently found in the bay along with the
regular shoals of Silver Bream, various
Trevally species, Hula fish and Mados
but to name a few. Stingrays are gener-
ally easy to find in the deeper part of the
bay.

The Pygmy Leatherjacket, at only 9cm in
length for an adult, is one of the small-
est leatherjacket species and as such is
difficult to find, but is well worth looking
for. It has a disc shaped body and cam-
ouflages itself amongst the seaweed. It
is only found in Australia.

An olive coloured female Blue Groper.

Large submerged rocks at Clovelly Bay with a
host of larger fish species

Sydney is in the southern end of the range of the very
pretty Redspot Wrasse (Stethojulis bandanensis).

This species is kept in aquariums, but can be difficult

to maintain in the long term. It should probably be left

to experts with Wrasse or in the ocean!

Marine « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 32

CAIRNS MARINE certified by

« Marine Aquarium Council

mm

<r < «a iS

3S

* — -

Jo^.#«r

i

3i^,_

CAIRNS MARINE is the worlds leading supplier /
of sustainably sou reed marine aquarium specimens. 1 ^

i i i i i i i i i s - ><>w i v /~\ t — rv\ ^^ \r i ^\ /^>%. s- •-n. r^r\ \

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CQirnsmsinne

Collection j Education j Research

a group of juvenile Luderick (Girella tricuspidata)

Luderick (Girella tricuspidata) grazing on seaweeds.

Flutemouths (Fistularia commersonii) are relatives of Various Trevally species (Carangoides) are frequently
pipefish and seahorses. Photo by Derek Keats seen in schools in Clovelly Bay.

Much maligned by fishermen the Toadfish (Tetract-
enos glaber) is a pretty species of pufferfish.

Sergeant Majors (Abudefduf sp.) are common at

Clovelly Bay. Members of the Damselfish family they

adapt well to captivity but are territorial.

Marine « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 34

a male Pearly Wrasse, Halichoeres margaritaceus. This small growing wrasse (to ~1 3cm) has a tropical distribu-
tion and most commonly found in northern parts of NSW. Temperate Sydney is most definitely at the southern

end of its distribution. It's sometimes kept in aquariums.

Senator Wrasse (Pictilabrus laticlavius) are another
colourful, and larger (to ~30cm) wrasse from Clovelly.

Silver Bream (Acanthopagrus australis) are a common
sight at Clovelly and a favourite with anglers.

Sydney itself is a picturesque city with many wonderful sights and as such is a popular
tourist destination. Whether you happen to live here, or if you're just visiting, a trip to see the
underwater marvels of Clovelly Bay's "natural aquarium" is highly recommended for any
fish enthusiast. 4*

Marine « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 35

■

--r&

photo by Khantipol

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See website for UK sections

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See website for list of associated clubs

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Community « Redfish Magazine 2013:18 » 37

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