Spotted coral guardian
Spotted coral guardian | ||||||||||||
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Spotted coral guardian ( Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus ) |
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Systematics | ||||||||||||
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Scientific name | ||||||||||||
Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus | ||||||||||||
( Bleeker , 1855) |
The spotted coral guardian ( Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus ) or pointed head coral guardian is a small, up to 10 centimeter long group perch (Cirrhitidae). They differ from the almost identical-looking species Cirrhitichthys aprinus by the spotted caudal fin, which is translucent in C. aprinus .
distribution
The fish have a very wide range and live in the coral and rocky reefs of the Red Sea and the tropical Indo-Pacific from the coast of East and South Africa to the Gulf of California and the Galapagos Islands .
Way of life
Like all coral guardians, the pointed head coral guardian lives sedentary in a small area. There he sits on prominent coral sticks or rocks and lies in wait for prey such as small crustaceans and fish larvae. Because this species of fish has a stunted swim bladder , it is unable to stay in the open water for long periods of time.
Aquarium keeping
The spotted coral guardian is easy to keep in a saltwater aquarium . The fish should be sufficiently fed frozen food such as Artemia , Mysis and Krill . Like all tufted bass, the spotted coral guardian is very voracious. If he is hungry, he can attack shrimps and small fish that are less than 1/3 of his body length.
literature
- Hans A. Baensch / Helmut Debelius : Meerwasser Atlas 1 , Mergus Verlag, Melle, ISBN 3-88244-110-0
- Fish for the beginner 's aquarium : Pointed-head coral guardian (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus) , in Koralle 33 June / July 2005, NTV, ISSN 1439-779X
Web links
- Coral Hawkfish on Fishbase.org (English)