Golden Basslet
(Liopropoma abberans)
The Golden Basslet. A fish for the true rare fish obsessor. The Golden Basslet is one of, if not, the most challenging species of basslet out there. Starting with collection, this fish is hard to catch. It's a species that is almost exclusively caught with a submarine because it is only found at extreme depths of 300ft and below. The majority of specimens being caught between 350 to 500ft; much too deep for any scuba divers and beyond the limit of most rebreather divers. If one is to be procured, it then need to survive the ascent. In most cases with deep Mesophotic zone fish, fish are put into a pressurized chamber by a rebreather diver and then the pressure is slowly bled off over the course of a few days. Because these fish are caught with a submarine, putting them into a small pressure chamber isn't feasible. They need to be brought up to a shallow enough depth for divers to attempt to decompress them; additionally, once they reach a shallow enough depth, they need to be brought up even slower. Generally speaking, its usually within the last 3 atmospheres(30 meters) of depth where severe damage to the fish can happen. This means every day for about a week, the fish are moved closer and closer to the surface and are pinned to relieve the additional gas that expands within the swim bladder. This is done until atmospheric pressure is at sea level. For this reason, the Golden Basslet is often plagued with various issues relating to decompression and bacterial issues. Assuming the fish makes the ascent though and overcomes issues relating to the collection, they are incredibly adaptable to captivity.
In captivity, this fish will benefit from cooler temperatures in the 60-68 degree range, but can be acclimated to temperatures in the low to mid 70s. A diet of almost anything is generally accepted for these fish; from flakes to large pieces of krill, these fish have an appetite. Getting them to eat is never an issue. Unlike their Candy Bass cousins, Golden Basslets get rather large. Stacking up to a whopping 6" these basslets are much less cryptic and usually stay out in the open. They, like other predatory fish, are full of personality and are incredibly curious.
In terms of the fish collectors "Holy Grail", this is it. If you are able to maintain a healthy and stable Golden Basslet in your collection, you will undoubtedly stand apart from the rest. There is no debate. It is the fish to make the statement that says you know what you're doing; you have surpassed the expert level care of all other fish and this is the proof!
Price: $7500-9000
