Breeding Journal, Species: Elacatinus randalli

General
Species:  Elacatinus randalli
Social Structure:  male and female
Size of Individuals:  1.5"
Age of Individuals:  unknown
Date added to Tank: early June 2013

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank:  10gal plumbed into a 500gal system  
Substrate Details:  bare bottom  
Filtration Details:  wet/dry, fluidized sand bed, I-tech skimmer  
Water Changes:  10% weekly  
Water Temperature:  80-82    
Lighting:  overhead fluorescent  
Lighting Cycle:  on for 13hrs  
Other Tank Inhabitants:  none  

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types:  Rods Food FO blend, hikari mysis, PE mysis, cyclop-eeze wafer  
Feeding Schedule:  every 4hrs :  

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn:  8-14-13
Spawn Time of Day:  morning
Dates of Consecutive Spawns:  none yet...too soon for a second spawn
Courtship Details:  did not see it
Egg Size:  1mm 
Egg Color:  opaque 
Egg Count:  maybe 100-200 

Hatch Details
Hatch Date:  8-20-13 
Hatch Time of Day:  evening 
# Days after Spawn:  7 
Larvae Description:  slivers of glass, very active!  larvae were hatched just by moving them to larval tank 
Consecutive Hatch Dates:    


Larval Tank Details
Temperature:  80  
Size of Larval Tank:  25gal round tub  
Substrate Details:  bare bottom  
Other Tank Decor:  none  
Filtration Details:  none  
Lighting:  overhead fluorescents  
Lighting Cycle:  24hr  
Water Changes:  none until day 8 

Larval Feeding Details
Food Types:  rotifers w/ rotigreen omega  
Feeding Schedule:  as needed  

Metamorphosis/Settlement
Date of Settlement Start: 
Days after Hatch: 
Date of Settlement End: 
Description of Fry: 

Grow-Out Tank Details
Temperature: 
Size of Grow-Out Tank: 
Substrate Details: 
Other Tank Decor: 
Filtration Details: 
Lighting: 
Lighting Cycle: 
Water Changes: 
Size at Transfer: 
Age at Transfer: 

Grow-Out Feeding Details
Food Types: 
Feeding Schedule: 

Additional Information

(No Pictures or Videos in the Section Please)
Miscellaneous Information: 



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Jonathan Foster

FishEye Aquaculture

This spawning pair was acquired from a friend who was breaking down their reef system.  I was told the fish originated form Proaquatix a couple years ago via his LFS, that is why I am assuming they are E. randalli (Proaquatix) instead of E. figaro (ORA).  If anyone thinks different, please let me know.
 
Picture of broodstock:

 
Spawn:

 
Video of hatch:

Jonathan Foster

FishEye Aquaculture

The pair, together.  I love this species!

Jonathan Foster

FishEye Aquaculture

 
Some side shots of broodstock...needed confirm (or refute) the species ID.  Again, stock is from Proaquatix, so my assumption is E. randalli, per their website.  I welcome your opinion...after all, it would be nice to market this beautiful species properly. 

Jonathan Foster

FishEye Aquaculture

very nice fish, I'm no help in the ID but just wanted to comment on what a cool fish

-Rob

mrcobscorals.com

OK, so according to Humann's book, the diagnostic between randalli and figaro, beyond the geographic separation, is this.

E. randalli is said to have a "thin bluish stripe (that) runs from under each eye to behind the pectoral fin". This is not noted for E. figaro.

In Humann's book, you can clearly see the blue stripe in one of the two fish photographed, but not the other. I cannot see the blue-ish stripe on either of your fish, but that could be the angle of the camera / lighting.  So this may require your personal observation to make the final diagnostic.

Now, we know that at least two species have color variants (Sharknose and Neons) so that could further muddy things, but I discovered pretty quickly several good photos of Randalli that show the blue stripe.  Here's some links:

http://www.natuurlijkmooi.net/images/elaranc.jpg
http://reefguide.org/pix/thumb2/yellownosegoby2.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Elacatinus_randalli_bonaire.JPG/400px-Elacatinus_randalli_bonaire.JPG
http://www.luizrocha.com/fish/E_randalli.jpg
 
And here are some E. figaro links
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Elacatinus_figaro_RZPG.jpg
http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/uploads/post-36-1080104829.jpg
http://gobiidae.com/sp_pics/ELACATINUS_PRIDIS_01_JLG.gif
http://reefbuilders.com/files/2011/03/yellowline-goby.jpg

Now, my understanding is that E. figaro is no longer accesible as a wild caught fish since it's blocked from export in Brazil (it's native waters).  I also think that, from what I can see, your fish look more like E. figaro than E. randalli...and if that's truly what you have (E. figaro) that's great because if we lose it in captive breeding we'll never get it back.

So the questions to ask would include going back to Proaquatix and seeing if they know the provenance of their broodstock.  Note that ORA produces E. figaro, not E. randalli - http://www.orafarm.com/products/fish/gobies/yellowline/. Also note that Proaquatix's one small photo does not show the blue line of E. randalli. - http://proaquatix.com/html/goby-yellownose.html
 
I wonder if you have E. figaro, and not E. randalli. 

 
That is correct ! E. figaro is listed as endangered in Brazil and hence it can not be legally exported.
However I have seen it offered for sale around here as E. oceanops and E. randalli some time ago as I have seen Gramma brasiliensis (also endemic and can not be exported) offered as G. loreto...
So, it can not be legally exported but do not take this as a criteria to exclude E. figaro as a possibility when found at wholesalers as it may still happen with mislabled illegally exported fishes.
 
Back on track, these fishes look more like E. figaro.

Anderson.