Dr. Gerald (Gerry) Robert Allen, Australien
Info
Apogon talboti
Large eyes indicate either an occurrence at great depths, where it is important to make the best possible use of the remaining light, or a nocturnal animal with the same intention.
Cardinalfish are predominantly nocturnal, many species hide in caves, reef crevices, under overhangs or between corals during the day in order to swim for zooplankton at nightfall, as is the case with Ostorhinchus talboti, the photo by Dr. Gerry Allen shows an 8.5 cm long cardinalfish.
Even if cardinalfish do not give the impression of being predators, smaller fish and other invertebrates are on their menu.
Some cardinalfish live in groups or even occur in shoals, the shoal provides protection from larger predators, while Apogon talboti occurs as an individual.
Synonymised name:
Apogon talboti Smith, 1961
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".
Large eyes indicate either an occurrence at great depths, where it is important to make the best possible use of the remaining light, or a nocturnal animal with the same intention.
Cardinalfish are predominantly nocturnal, many species hide in caves, reef crevices, under overhangs or between corals during the day in order to swim for zooplankton at nightfall, as is the case with Ostorhinchus talboti, the photo by Dr. Gerry Allen shows an 8.5 cm long cardinalfish.
Even if cardinalfish do not give the impression of being predators, smaller fish and other invertebrates are on their menu.
Some cardinalfish live in groups or even occur in shoals, the shoal provides protection from larger predators, while Apogon talboti occurs as an individual.
Synonymised name:
Apogon talboti Smith, 1961
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".
