Monocentridae
From Microcosm Aquarium Explorer
[edit] Overview
Like the flashlight fishes, the pineapple or pinecone fishes possess light organs. The photophores of the pineapple fishes are located on the lower jaw.
These fishes are covered with heavy scales, they have a stout pelvic spine with two to four soft rays, two dorsal fins, an anal fin with no spines and 10 to 12 soft rays, and a large eye. The largest species attains 21 cm (8.2 in.). The pineapple fishes occur in tropical and warm temperate seas, and are typically found at depths of 30 to 300 m (98 to 975 ft.). However, two species are found at shallower depths on rocky reefs in certain locations.
BioGroup:
Native range:
Taxonomic rank: Family
Common name: PINEAPPLE or PINECONE FISHES
| Total known | Total profiles | |
|---|---|---|
| Subfamilies | 0 | 0 |
| Genera | 2 | 0 |
| Species | 4 | 0 |
Captive care: Pineapple fishes are occasionally offered to marine hobbyists and can be successfully kept if provided with caves and overhangs as hiding places and housed either with peaceful species or on their own. Keep the tank dimly lit or totally dark and in a quiet room without bright lights or sunlight.
Feeding: Offer live, enriched brine shrimp and gradually begin to vary the diet with mysid shrimp, krill and other high-quality, meaty plankton-like fare.
Notes: View these fishes after dark with a flashlight that emits a red beam or a with red light mounted over the tank. Use a specimen container to capture and move a pineapple fish, as its spines may get entangled in a net.
[edit] Subfamilies
none
[edit] Genera
none
[edit] Species
none
| Biogroup-Organism | Marine Fishes + |
| Common name | PINEAPPLE or PINECONE FISHES + |
| Family taxonomic rank | Family + |
| Native range | Indo-Pacific + |
| Reference | Reef Fishes Volume 1 + |