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An
Article by George J. Reclos
Oedalechilus labeo (Boxlip mullet)
This fish was definitely not indented for my tank and was accidentally
collected along with some live rock (possible trapped in the macroalge and
didn't escape fast enough). A voracious eater grows too large for the size
of my tanks (max. size 25 cm) especially if we take into account that it
is an ever moving fish hence a lot of space should be given to it. I plan
to return it to the sea in one of my next collection trips. Acclimatized
immediately, always swimming 2-4 mm under the water surface, always
looking for food, always attacking it immediately. I don't know how things
would evolve with this particular species but the impression I have is
that it would be one of the easiest species I ever kept. Will accept any
kind of frozen food added (mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, mussels, shrimps,
squid) and will eat for as long as food is still on the surface or close
to it. In nature it can be seen in schools, usually swimming just under
the water surface or at shallow depths (up to 25 meters). They use their
strong lips to scrape over any substrate from plant to rock to mud and -
like a vacuum cleaner - eat the fine layer of debris on top of it. When
collected, the fish was a mere 2 cm in length, and had two big external
parasites attached to it. The parasites were removed of course before
adding the fish to the tank and a close inspection revealed that there has
been no damage done to the slim coat of the fish.
Another shot which shows how close to the surface this fish usually swims.
You can see the space between its idol and the real fish being just a few
mm. The fish is always found swimming against the current created by the
two airpumps and the return of the main filter.. perhaps simulating a long
run in the open sea.
All photos by G.Reclos / MCH.
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