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.
Sea Perch
Helicolenus percoides (Red gurnard perch)
Splendid Perch and Allports Perch
A brilliantly coloured fish of pink, golden, yellow, orange and red. The caudal fin is red and all other fins are orange. The Allports perch has a slightly more subdued colouration.
Spotty, Paketi
The Spotty is a typical elongate wrasse shape. It has a protruding mouth with noticeable teeth. The body is a creamy colour with brown flecks over it and a large black spot on each side. This fish...
Starfish - Ambush Star
Looks like the common cushion star but is very colourful and can be found in a range of colours and spots, (yellow purple orange white red blue/green).Able to raise itself on its legs to form a...
Starfish - Comb Star
Five arms, disc radius ~ 1/5 the length of the arms. Upper surface carpeted with small spines, marginal plates obvious and carry pointed spines. Plates in angle between arm and disc carry two,...
Starfish - Cushion Star
The common cushion star is a five legged star it can be colourful and can be found in a range of colours yellow purple orange white red blue/green.
Starfish - Oar Star
Generally a blackish red shade with its legs covered in flat spines that give it its name. It is a very fast moving brittle star.
Sweep
Similar to Blue Maomao but gray as an adult, silver with red spots on belly as a youngster.
Tarakihi
Silvery fish with black mark behind head, rubbery lips and large pectoral fins. Can weigh up to 3kg.
Triplefin - Oblique-Swimming
The body is orange-brown with a red tinged head, a black eye and a wide black lengthwise stripe on each side. The only triplefins to spend most of their time swimming in loose schools, rarely...
Triplefin - Blue Dot
Yellow orange head covered with large bright red spots back as far as the first dorsal fin. Upper half of body is a series of dark blue-black square areas, with an iridescent blue spot joining...
Triplefin - Blue-eyed
Small triplefin with striking colours. Black vertical stripes on a white body with reddish fins. Gets its name from its bright blue eyes
Triplefin - Common
Hardy bottom dweller in the aquarium, can be very territorial during breeding season October to February
Triplefin - Mottled Twister
Mottled Twister are small fish that enliven the tank, they are a mottled pattern of dark and light with speckling of red on their backs.
Triplefin - Spectacled
The spectacled triplefin is the only species in the genus Ruanoho. It's head is flattened with large eyes surrounded by a dark band giving rise to its common name. The head and fins have a pattern...