Malacanthidae
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Introduction
Possibly the more striking fish available in the aquarium trade are the 'Tilefish and in particular the Purple Tilefish (Hoplolatilus purpureus). They are however a reclusive fish and they are a relatively difficult fish to keep as:
- prone to stress.
- jump, a lot, and far. And are very easily spooked.
- mainly eat meaty foods can can be fussy eaters.
If you wish to keep on, ensure hood is tightly closed, there is plenty of hiding spots near the ground they can feel comfortable in. You also have to be prepared to feed them frozen foods like mysis shrimp.
They really do not seem to have the concept of the surface (possibly why they are generally found at depth) so any spooking (including lights blinking on, someone walking into the room, house creek) can cause them to jump. Recommend as deep a tank as possible.
Characteristics
Elongate fishes with long continuous dorsal and anal fins. All species live in a burrow, some in a large rubble mount of their own construction, in pairs or colonies. [1]
Classification
Gallery
Resources
- Tilefishes - WetWebMedia
References
- ↑ (Lieske Myers 1996): Lieske, E., Myers, R., Coral reef fishes : Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean : including the Red Sea, Princeton University Press: Princeton, 1996.
