Dr. John Ernest (Jack) Randall (†), Hawaii
Info
Assessor macneilli, Whitley, 1935
The blue miracle perch is found in the western Pacific from north-eastern Australia and New Guinea through the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea to New Caledonia.
The colour is dark blue with a thin light blue margin on the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins. The dorsal fin has 11 spines and 8-10 rays, the anal fin has 3 spines and 9-10 rays and the pectoral fins have 14-16 rays.
The blue miracle perch, up to 6 cm long, is found in reefs at depths of 2 to 20 m, where it congregates in schools of up to 100 fish in caves, crevices and under ledges. It often swims upside down in caves and overhangs.
In aquariums, no individual keeping should take place, at least pair keeping should be aimed at. But group keeping of at least 4 fish would be desirable.
It is a planktivore and its main food is crustaceans such as copepods, ostracods and amphipods. After acclimatisation, frozen food is eaten as well as pellets.
The Assessor macneilli is a mouthbrooder in contrast to Assessor flavissimus (yellow miracle perch). The male bluegill guards the eggs in his mouth for 15-16 days, while the male keeps his mouth open all the time, moving the eggs back and forth every 2-8 minutes.
Very little is known about the Assessor randalli so far.
The species name "macneilli" was given in 1935 by G.P. Whitley in honour of his assistant or helper Francis A. McNeill (Australian Museum).
Synonym:
Assessor macneili Whitley, 1935 (misspelling).
The blue miracle perch is found in the western Pacific from north-eastern Australia and New Guinea through the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea to New Caledonia.
The colour is dark blue with a thin light blue margin on the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins. The dorsal fin has 11 spines and 8-10 rays, the anal fin has 3 spines and 9-10 rays and the pectoral fins have 14-16 rays.
The blue miracle perch, up to 6 cm long, is found in reefs at depths of 2 to 20 m, where it congregates in schools of up to 100 fish in caves, crevices and under ledges. It often swims upside down in caves and overhangs.
In aquariums, no individual keeping should take place, at least pair keeping should be aimed at. But group keeping of at least 4 fish would be desirable.
It is a planktivore and its main food is crustaceans such as copepods, ostracods and amphipods. After acclimatisation, frozen food is eaten as well as pellets.
The Assessor macneilli is a mouthbrooder in contrast to Assessor flavissimus (yellow miracle perch). The male bluegill guards the eggs in his mouth for 15-16 days, while the male keeps his mouth open all the time, moving the eggs back and forth every 2-8 minutes.
Very little is known about the Assessor randalli so far.
The species name "macneilli" was given in 1935 by G.P. Whitley in honour of his assistant or helper Francis A. McNeill (Australian Museum).
Synonym:
Assessor macneili Whitley, 1935 (misspelling).
