Once on land a debate ensued–is this elegant animal a baby Oarfish? The specimen was quickly sent to Japanese LFS Yadokari-ya, where GBD writer Tetsuo Otake was able to see this fish in person during the acclimation. After closer inspection we believe this specimen is a juvenile Trachipterus trachypterus, colloqiually referred to as a Ribbon Fish.
Photo by Mr. Yuzo Hirai.
Just this past weekend some Japanese diver’s made a surprise catch–during their collection trip they netted a beautiful 10cm silver fish in relatively shallow water, which they had never seen before. Once on land a debate ensued–is this elegant animal a baby Oarfish? The specimen was quickly sent to Japanese LFS Yadokari-ya, where GBD writer Tetsuo Otake was able to see this fish in person during the acclimation. After closer inspection we believe this specimen is a juvenile Trachipterus trachypterus, colloqiually referred to as a Ribbon Fish.
Photos by Tetsuo Otake.
T. trachypterus is rarely seen (alive) in shallow water, and is typically only seen by ROVs as it inhabits the mesopelagic zone, at depths of 200 to 1,000m. The Ribbonfish is widespread in its range, and has been found in Japan… but rarely is this species seen alive with human eyes. In fact, it is believe this is the first specimen to make its way to captivity.
The care of this tiny Ribbonfish will certainly be difficult, but we hope the attempt is not in vein. Some sources state eggs and larvae are found near the surface–raising the question if this juvenile fish was healthy and at its intended depth, or sick and ready to pass.
Trachipterus trachypterus drawing by Dr. Tony Ayling. Originally published in the Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand.
Unfortunately, just minutes before posting this article, I received word from Tetsuo that the fish has passed away. It was collected at 10:30 and passed on 22:00. An unfortunate and early end. For better reference of the size and shape of this fish, see Yuzo Hirai’s picture below that was taken immediately after the fish died. [Our Japanese readers can see more on Yadakori-ya's blog.] A big thanks to Tetsuo, Yadakori-ya and Yuzo for sharing this unique story.
