77 / 100
MESOPHOTIC CORAL ECOSYSTEMS – A LIFEBOAT FOR CORAL REEFS?
77
Figure 6.11.
Collector using a needle to puncture the swim bladder of an anthias,
Pseudanthias bimaculatus
, to prevent its swim bladder
from bursting during ascent (photo Elizabeth Wood).
The Peppermint (
Centropyge boylei
) and Narcosis (
Centropyge
narcosis
) angelfish (Figure 6.12) are two of the most prized fish
for home aquariums. They are both found in the Cook Islands,
and the Peppermint angelfish has also been observed in French
Polynesia. Peppermint angelfish have been recorded at depths
of 55–120 m (Pyle et al. 2009), while Narcosis angelfish have
been reported deeper at 100–120 m (Pyle and Myers 2010).
Peppermint and Narcosis angelfish: jewels in the aquarium trade
Both species ranges are likely to be severely underreported due
to the difficulties in surveying these depths. Due to the rarity of
collection in the marine aquarium trade, these species command
extremely high prices. In 2012, private buyers offered up to US$
30,000 for a single Peppermint angelfish (Kaneshiro 2012), while
a single Narcosis angelfish sold for US$ 5,000 within seconds of
being offered for sale online (Adams 2012).
Figure 6.12.
(a) Peppermint angelfish (
Centropyge boylei
) and (b) the Narcosis angelfish (
Centropyge narcosis
) photographed at
approximately 90 m in the Cook Islands (photos Richard Pyle).
(a)
(b)