MIDAS FISH
The Midas fish is an aquatic animal indigenous to the planet Cassel (Goss II) in the Goss system, United Empire of Earth (UEE). Prized by aquarium enthusiasts for its golden color morph, the Midas fish is a protected species on its home world, and is sometimes poached. A breeding program to replenish their numbers, overseen by Cassel's Governors Council, has been underway since SEY 2936.
DESCRIPTION
Midas fish vary from large to small, and have one dorsal fin, four triangle-shaped pectoral, and ventral fins, and an indented tail fin. All Midas fish are protandrous or born male. When they reach around seven Standard Earth Years of age, larger males will change sex, becoming female.
Coloration is widely varied, with most wild Midas fish being mixed gray and white with black-tipped tail fins and a gold streak at the corner of both eyes. Pink, orange, white, and black specimens have also been observed. The highly sought gold color morph, characterized by shimmering yellow scales streaked with white, exists in nature in small frequencies. Its prevalence in the hobbyist trade is a product of many generations of selective breeding.
BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY
Usually, Midas fish live in small groups among the warm ocean reefs of Cassel, consisting of one large female and a mature male, along with a few non-breeding immature males. If the female dies, then her reproduction partner will change sex and one of the other males in the group will mature and become her mate. They are herbivorous, and spend most of their time grazing on seagrass, or using their powerful jaws to crush and ingest pieces of algae-coated coral. The polyps along with any coral particulates pass harmlessly through their digestive systems.
When it is time to breed, the female will lay eggs in a sheltered area and the breeding male will fertilize them. As the eggs mature over a period of about one week, the group of fish will take turns guarding them from potential predators until they hatch. The fry will disperse after another week of being guarded. They breed yearly, early in their local warm season.
ILLEGAL PET TRADE
Midas fish are endangered on Cassel. This is partially due to the development of resorts near their habitats, but largely due to over-hunting to supply the pet trade. The capture and trade of wild Midas fish was banned on Cassel in SEY 2927, and in the UEE at large in 2934. Thanks to this ban and Cassel's Golden Touch repopulation project, the Midas fish's numbers have been steadily rising and are expected to reach a non-threatened level in the late 2960s. Captive bred Midas fish remain legal to own and trade.