Blue Harbor, a Japan-based importer of stunning reef life, has been really cranking out the rare livestock as of late. Their newest release features a trio of different beauties, each with their own video and assumed hefty price tag. After all, the rare ones don’t go cheap, nor should they. Getting back on track, the fish in the first clip (seen above) is a Plectranthias sagamiensis perchlet, which can be found around Sagami and Nago Bays in Japan. The Sagami anthias isn’t at all common in the aquarium trade, as it is typically found at depths between 50 and 120 meters, though it could be considered “reef safe” if you ever come across one and can afford its inevitably high price tag. This species does show up from time to time, but they typically go to the Asian market and rarely make it to US hobbyists.
The second fish on the list, and seen in the next video below, is another deepwater perchlet. Like the anthias above, P. pelicieri is found in deeper waters between 50 and 100 meters, though it has a wider distribution. It is still a very uncommon find in the aquarium trade, and not a whole lot is known about either of these species. As you watch this video and the one at the top of the article, you might be asking yourself why I’m calling these two fish anthias instead of hawkfish. These fish do greatly resemble and behave like hawfish, but they are actually considered anthias. The same goes for the Geometric Pygmy Hawkfish, which is also from the same genus.
Moving on to the third beauty from Blue Harbor, we look now at the lined hogfish (Bodianus leucostictus). This beauty is obviously a bit more active than the two anthias shown above, and it is typically found in waters that are 50 meters deep or less. This hogfish has a scattered but limited distribution, showing up in Madagascar, parts of Indonesia, and Japan. As with the two fish above, only a handful of B. leucosticus have ever been seen, even by the scientific community, so little is known about them.
