Hypsypops rubicundus
Under natural conditions, Hypsypops rubicundus, or Garibaldi swallows, live in coastal areas of Southern California. The fish stay in quiet coves with clear water, among rocky rocks, at depths of up to 30 m. The largest accumulations of fish are found near crevices and small caves with brown algae. These fish are currently protected and their catching for sport or commercial purposes is prohibited.
Hypsypops rubicundus has a laterally compressed body similar to that of the perch. The scales are large. Juveniles have shiny iridescent blue spots on the body and lines along the fins. Adult fish are bright golden-orange or yellow-orange. Head is large, mouth small, lips large, eyes yellow or green. The dorsal plumage is wide and extends from the head to the root of the tail plumage. The dorsal fin is elongated at the back. The caudal fin is split and the tips of both lobes are rounded. The head, body and fins have iridescent blue spots, which disappear with age and are present in fish up to 15 cm long. In nature, fish can reach a size of 36 cm.
The Hypsypops rubicundus is a territorial fish. Both males and females defend their territory from each other and other fish. The much larger fish are no exception and will be ejected if they swim into their protected area. When the Garibaldi are disturbed, they emit a clicking sound produced by the rubbing of their throat teeth. Young fish are rarely harassed by adults, and this may be due to their blue markings, which seem to give them some protection. Keep the fish, due to their large size, in an aquarium with a capacity of 500 liters.
Water parameters: temperature 24-26° C, pH 8,1-8,4, salinity 1,020-1,026. Water filtration and aeration are required.
Coarse sand should be used as substrate. Large rocks and reef-like rocks should be placed around the perimeter of the aquarium.
Hypsypops rubicundus feeds on various invertebrates, but mostly on attached, sessile organisms such as sponges and bryozoans. Sometimes they may feed on algae, worms and small crustaceans. Under aquarium conditions, the fish will eat almost all foods that are offered to them. They are fed once a day.
Reproduction
Hypsypops rubicundus does not breed under aquarium conditions. In nature, the Garibaldi begin breeding when they reach the age of 6 years. At that time, the fish reach a size of 20-23 cm.
Spawning takes place from March to October, when the water temperature reaches about 15° C. Although both males and females are territorial, only the males guard the nest. Starting in spring, the males build their nest in shallow water (to a depth of 5 m), removing everything but the red algae to which the eggs will later be attached. All other algae and small rocks are removed from the area.
During spawning, the female swims around the area, checking potential partners for their nest readiness in order to make a final decision. As soon as she gets close to the selected male, she will hatch a batch of eggs. The female returns to the nest several times until she spawns completely. In total, the female hatches between 15,000 and 88,000 eggs during spawning, depending on her size.
The male takes care of the clutch. He fiercely protects the nest until the fry hatch 2-3 weeks later.
The life expectancy of a Hypsypops rubicundus is about 20 years.
