Christophe Cadet, La Réunion
Info
The humphead blenny is named after Victor Gruschka Springer, the doyen of blennioid systematics.
Enneapterygius gruschkai is a demersal species found on rocky bottoms at depths of up to 8 meters.
The color of males varies from 5 dark brown bars on a creamy yellow base body color, with the bars sometimes divided below the midline, to a rich brown body with 5 narrow creamy white bars, the last at the base of the caudal fin.
The darkest bar runs across the tail peduncle with a small, clear window in the middle-lateral; peduncle cream-colored or yellow on both sides of the bar.
The penultimate two bars are darkest dorsally, forming a small dark saddle at the base of the last two dorsal fin rays and at the tail peduncle. The edges of the scales show brown and orange spots.
Males have a dark brown to black head pattern, the face is almost tiger-striped, the top of the head is deep orange with black spots.
First dorsal fin with black spots; second dorsal fin with orange bands on the spines and black spots on the membranes, third like the second but paler.
Anal fin with black spots except for the tips of the rays, which are colorless.
Pectoral fins with a black spot near the dorsal and ventral end of the base, a white spot behind the lower black spot, followed by another black spot and a larger white spot in the middle of the fin; rays distally orange. Caudal fin proximally deep orange to red, with a narrow band of black spots at the base, distally dark.
Females and juveniles are less pigmented, their body stripes and facial disc are pale brown.
Dorsal fins with only yellow-orange pigment and without black mottling.
Caudal fin pale yellow with some black mottling
at the base of the rays.
Similar species: Enneapterygius gruschkai can be mistaken for small specimens of Enneapterygius elegans, but Enneapterygius gruschkai lacks the scaled belly of Enneapterygius elegans.
Jumping guard
A jumping guard prevents (nocturnal) fish from jumping out.
Wrasses, blennies, hawkfishs and gobies jump out of an unprotected tank in fright if their night rest is disturbed, unfortunately these jumpers are found dried up in the morning on carpets, glass edges or later behind the tank.
https://www.korallenriff.de/en/article/1925_5_Jump_Protection_Solutions_for_Fish_in_the_Aquarium__5_Net_Covers.html
A small night light also helps, as it provides the fish with a means of orientation in the dark!
Jumping guard
A jumping guard prevents (nocturnal) fish from jumping out.
Wrasses, blennies, hawkfishs and gobies jump out of an unprotected tank in fright if their night rest is disturbed, unfortunately these jumpers are found dried up in the morning on carpets, glass edges or later behind the tank.
https://www.korallenriff.de/en/article/1925_5_Jump_Protection_Solutions_for_Fish_in_the_Aquarium__5_Net_Covers.html
A small night light also helps, as it provides the fish with a means of orientation in the dark!
Enneapterygius gruschkai is a demersal species found on rocky bottoms at depths of up to 8 meters.
The color of males varies from 5 dark brown bars on a creamy yellow base body color, with the bars sometimes divided below the midline, to a rich brown body with 5 narrow creamy white bars, the last at the base of the caudal fin.
The darkest bar runs across the tail peduncle with a small, clear window in the middle-lateral; peduncle cream-colored or yellow on both sides of the bar.
The penultimate two bars are darkest dorsally, forming a small dark saddle at the base of the last two dorsal fin rays and at the tail peduncle. The edges of the scales show brown and orange spots.
Males have a dark brown to black head pattern, the face is almost tiger-striped, the top of the head is deep orange with black spots.
First dorsal fin with black spots; second dorsal fin with orange bands on the spines and black spots on the membranes, third like the second but paler.
Anal fin with black spots except for the tips of the rays, which are colorless.
Pectoral fins with a black spot near the dorsal and ventral end of the base, a white spot behind the lower black spot, followed by another black spot and a larger white spot in the middle of the fin; rays distally orange. Caudal fin proximally deep orange to red, with a narrow band of black spots at the base, distally dark.
Females and juveniles are less pigmented, their body stripes and facial disc are pale brown.
Dorsal fins with only yellow-orange pigment and without black mottling.
Caudal fin pale yellow with some black mottling
at the base of the rays.
Similar species: Enneapterygius gruschkai can be mistaken for small specimens of Enneapterygius elegans, but Enneapterygius gruschkai lacks the scaled belly of Enneapterygius elegans.
Jumping guard
A jumping guard prevents (nocturnal) fish from jumping out.
Wrasses, blennies, hawkfishs and gobies jump out of an unprotected tank in fright if their night rest is disturbed, unfortunately these jumpers are found dried up in the morning on carpets, glass edges or later behind the tank.
https://www.korallenriff.de/en/article/1925_5_Jump_Protection_Solutions_for_Fish_in_the_Aquarium__5_Net_Covers.html
A small night light also helps, as it provides the fish with a means of orientation in the dark!
Jumping guard
A jumping guard prevents (nocturnal) fish from jumping out.
Wrasses, blennies, hawkfishs and gobies jump out of an unprotected tank in fright if their night rest is disturbed, unfortunately these jumpers are found dried up in the morning on carpets, glass edges or later behind the tank.
https://www.korallenriff.de/en/article/1925_5_Jump_Protection_Solutions_for_Fish_in_the_Aquarium__5_Net_Covers.html
A small night light also helps, as it provides the fish with a means of orientation in the dark!
