What is this little guy?

Caught these guys off the coast of Louisiana off some rocks near the Calcasieu Lake. Caught about 7 specimens. They dont seem to harm any of my corals in my small tank and seem only to peck on algae and feed lightly on the mysis shrimp I feed my other fish. They seem to mind their business and dont harrass any of the other fish. These are about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch long with silver and black stripes. They have some speckles mixed in as seen on one in the pic. On some the specs show more than others. Never seen these before.....Any ideas as to what they are????

 

Almost look like some sort of damsel.

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Looks like a juvenile Spade Fish. I have caught them in the Gulf before but never that small.

http://www.rodnreel.com/gulffish/gulffish.asp?cmd=view&FishID=69

 

Thanks. Looking up juvenile spade fish.....I think you may be correct. Sure looks like that may be it. Never seen any that small either.

 

Not to sound rude, but why would you put a fish that you don't know what it is, in your tank?

 

I would remove them, if I were you. I noticed the corals in the pics, and on that site it says "They are known to eat sponges, polychaete worms, soft corals, tunicates, algae, sea cucumbers, feather stars, sea anemones, amphipods, and crustacean larvae."

 

They look like Sheeps Head.


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In the link it mentions that juveniles are totally black in color. but in this link it sure seems close from the pics Google Image Result for http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/Atlanticspadefish/batfish.JPG
It also goes on to mention that they can be kept in Aquarium environment and sucsessfuly breed. reef safe not so sure however.

 

"Juvenile" in the fish world tends to refer to sexual maturity rather than "largest possible size". With the large amount of black these guys seem to be displaying (look at the center of the body), I'd say they're in the middle of that transition.

 

They do look like Spadefish. I saw some in Key Largo this year. They weren't really afraid of me, just sat chillin' by a big brain coral.

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