N.Z. Native Marine Fish
A guide to some of the common Flaura and Flora from around the N.Z. coastline, and keeping them in aquariums.
Clingfish- Lumpfish
New Zealand Lumpfish Trachelochismus pinnulatus
Cnidarians - Cup Coral
New Zealand Cup corals has a hard limestone cup to protect its soft body.Usually coloured orange to red. Shell on the left is a brachiopod, lamp shell ID rexi66
Cnidarians - Deadmans Fingers.
Our only true coral an orangey yellow soft coral similar to finger leathers, long white polyps, lighting: non-photosynthetic but grows in deeper water so would be use to lower light levelsflow:...
Common Weedfish
Body slender and flat with clear fin membrane patches. The colour is variable, often reddish-brown or greenish, with about seven broken bars extending onto dorsal and anal fins; sometimes...
Crested Blenny.
An endearing little fish that lurks in rockwork and grazes algae from its surface. Often found with just their heads protruding from a favourite hole. Can grow to 8cm.
Crested Weedfish
Description: Resembles a piece of seaweed with a large crest on its forehead. Its body is long, slender and very flat. The colour can be mottled, reddish-brown to green or yellow. There is usually...
Crustacean Mantis Shrimp
Hemisquilla australiensis
Demoiselle (New Zealand Demoiselle)
New Zealands true damsel, have a round shaped body that is a dark blue with a white spot behind the gill cover. The demoiselle juveniles are a dark green colour and change to a bluish green as...
Goatfish, Red Mullet
Can easily be identified by the twin barbells on its chin. These are used to sift in the sand to find prey. Has the ability to make quick changes of colour and pattern – sometimes brilliant red...
Golden Snapper
Centroberyx affinis
Hiwihiwi
Lovely patterned native fish, small beak like mouth. Bown and white patterns. Grows to 25-30cm.
John Dory
A very thin, disc shaped fish. Body and fins are olive brown with green-brown wavy stripes and a golden sheen. A large central dark spot ringed with silver is present on each side of the body. Its...
Kahawai.
The Kahawai has a dark bluish-green body , indistinct rows of spots forming narrow irregular bands on upper sides. Juveniles have golden bars on the upper sides that break up into spots in larger...
Leatherjacket
Diamond shaped fish with brown leathery skin and extendable trigger above dorsal fin. Can change colours in camouflage patterning depending on the mood.
Long snout pipefish
Long thin pencilfish with a long dorsal fin used for propulsion and a slender long tail that lacks a fin.