Pedro's ID problems

[Pedroinspain]

This little fellow was in 1m shallows at Brayka Bay near Marsa Alam, over gritty sand near to algae-encrusted coral. One of a pair. It was also considerable smaller (hardly reaching 20 cm) versus the 30cm quoted for the'flagtail' by Collins. Dived into a hole under a small piece of 'dead' coral.

Looks like a flagtail blanquillo (Malacanthus brevirostris) but has no tail stripes or other markings or colourings. Neither my Collins nor Debelius gives other options.

Any ideas or suggestions because this is just the first of?

 

[Pedroinspain]

Here's it with its mate at the 'hole'

 

[Jim Greenfield]

I cannot get your pics to show any bigger - they are not live links. Can you repost?

 

[Pedroinspain]

I cannot get your pics to show any bigger - they are not live links. Can you repost?

Hi Jim,
Sorry for the delay. My old desktop's memory got fried and the new computer is still on the way (using a Netbook now).
The two images were 'grabs' off a Windows Media screenshot. When the new machine arrives I will try again.

Still, even with the images as they are, the fish seem clearly to be Malacanthus, but without any hint of the dark tail margins of M. brevirostris. I can find no reference to such 'featureless' versions.

Pedro

 

[Pedroinspain]

I think I have nailed it. It is not (clearly ... lol) a Malacanthus, but my latest try is Ptereleotris microlepsis - the Pearly Dartfish. Here is an image just for comparison from Fishes of Andaman Sea

 

[Jim Greenfield]

Could be - more info at Fishbase :- Ptereleotris microlepis, Blue gudgeon : aquarium