gunnel ID/pholis species

[Electrokate]

Hi,
I aquired an "eel" on my job doing tank maintenance, it was basically in a leaking tank the owner wanted torn down and was going to be tossed in the bay here in Oahu. Since the owner said the fish was from Indonesia... Nuff said eh? Hawaii has enough foreignfish already.
The "eel" has been in captivity for several years and it appears to be in good health though quite small. Today I was told it was illegal by 2 people, 10K fine and felony charges yada yada yada but one of the people was willing to take it off my hands, so I had him over. Me being a fairly vision incompetant and not a tank buster fan I didn't notice the fins on his sides. So I did some research and the fish looks like a gunnel? Here are a couple pictures, it has a light apple green face and gets dark markings on the sides when I feed it or take photos but otherwise is much paler...
Can you ID this guy? I need to contact fish and wildlife to find out if it is legal plus look up it's nutritional requirements. If illegal rather than have it put down will likely try and ship it to the mainland if that is possible.
Right now it's eating just about anything and looking good so it's probably fine but would be good to know it's proper diet. Eats shrimp, tiny chromis, lizardfish, hermits, frozen/thawed squid and other dead fish. No problem feeding dead stuff on a stick. Can't eat anything larger than a cm across. I can't see it's teeth, the eyes move independently of eachother like a chameleon.
Thanks,
Kate

 

[Dr. Dee]

Its called a california green wolf eel,But its a fish

 

[morgan]

that looks like an eel blenny to me which is acctully a blenny

 

[steve-s]

Green wolf eel and the Eel Blenny are the same thing.... Congrogadus subducens. Apodichthys fucorum (A Gunnel) would be the next likely candidate but given there are no pectorals on this fish, I'd stick with eel blenny.

 

[Electrokate]

Well... that's the whole reason I wrote. It has pectorals Looked up the carpet eel on fishbase and it really does look like that though... both fish are fascinating. This guy sticks his head out of the water to look around and begs with his chin on the edge of the tank. Would that be more a gunnel thing since they can breath air?
Sorry the pics are not better... the fins are transparent but here is a better shot showing them. according to pics on fishbase the snout on this guy is a little long for a gunnel, the lower jaw juts out a bit and the pupil does not appear to be round. But I don't know if the illustrations on fishbase are all that accurate since they use the same set for all the gunnels.
Thanks,
Kate

 

[steve-s]

DO you have both in the same tank? Or is that chopped?

 

[Dr. Dee]

Well maybe not a california But thats i call them
Oh and here is some more info cool.
Green Wolf Eel, Congrogadus subducens, is a hardy, excellent addition to the marine aquarium. Its coloration varies greatly and is typically mottled in green and brown shades, but it does camouflage with its surroundings. An Indo-Pacific native, the Green Wolf Eel is also known as the Carpet Eel Blenny, but it does not have the community tank demeanor of the Lawnmower or Scooter Blenny. It is sometimes called the Eared Eel Blenny, because the lack of pigment in the sensory holes on either side of its head gives it the appearance of having ears. At a maximum length of around 18 inches, it does not grow as large as some other eels, adding to its popularity for the home aquarium. Eels are hearty eaters who also produce a great deal of waste. Because of this, a well-established aquarium and excellent water filtration is highly recommended. This species may even learn to eat from the owner's hands (but be careful of the strong jaws.) The Green Wolf Eel is a carnivore who prefers meaty foods including silversides, krill, clam, and carnivore preparations. As with all Eels, an aquarium with a tight-fitting cover must be provided to prevent escape.

 

[morgan]

just for the recored a scooter blenny is a dragonet
and i was under the serious impression that this was no a community fish and could possible eat small fish

 

[Electrokate]

Rex isn't kept with other fish unless it's to augment his diet Sometimes he gets a lizardfish or hermit crab from the beach up the street. His last owner had him with 2 devil scorpionfish, a barracuda and a grouper.

I am a little confused by some of the posts here... probably from the use of common names. I believe he is this fish:
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=4419

Technically that makes him a relative of the dottybacks/pseudochromidae and not at all an eel. His head gives it away with the prominent lower jaw and pupil shape. The teeth are not visible and the pectoral fins are transparent but present.

He's a great fish, very amusing and friendly. He pretty quickly got to know us and hangs out in front all the time when we are here but any visitors come by and he hides. Ben doesn't feed him ever but Rex still comes out for him.
He got named Rex because while trying to name him I was listening to an Underworld song where the vocal line was "king of snake". That he is. I miss my snakes and I miss my fish, now I have a critter that is a little of both
Kate