With blacklist I hope to turn aquarists attention toward various species that have a poor rate of survivability in marine/reef aquariums. It’s not uncommon to inadvertently end up with a specimen that refuses to feed, reacts poorly to new conditions, or simply fails to thrive within a captive environment. Some of these species are kept by advanced aquarists, or public aquariums and others simply don’t belong in captivity. Other species can survive, but require a tank of their own with very specific guidelines for aquascaping, filtration and feeding. To kick it off, I will start with the pineapple fish, a species that is very daunting to keep in the mixed reef, or fish only environment which is common in home aquariums. This is a species that requires a large tank of its own to survive, but in all reality is best left alone by anyone other than a very advanced and dedicated aquarist. Cleidopus gloriamaris is a member of the family Monocentridae, being the sole member of its genus. Some refer to it as the knight fish, or coat of arms fish, as its pineapple like scales also resemble armor plating. What makes the fish so attractive, in addition to its unusual body shape and markings, is a pair of bioluminescent organs, giving the fish’s cheeks a blue or red glow during twilight hours. In Latin the pineapple fish’s name means, glory of the sea. This species is native to coastal waters off of Queensland, New South Wales and western Australia. It has a wide depth range, starting at 20 feet and ranging down to 656 feet. Size/Description:
This species has a moderate size, reaching up to 8.6 inches in the aquarium. The body is plump and round, with a series of backward pointing sharp scales. Pineapple fish have a heavily armored head, complete with rough ridges and mucus pits along a ridge of thick bone. Each mucus pit is home to a colony of bioluminescent bacteria, near the lower jaw, which are concealed when the species closes its mouth. The thick scales that cover the body are yellow to cream in color, rimmed by a thick black outline. Struggles in the marine aquarium: The pineapple fish is a weak swimmer, rarely straying from one ledge. In various oceanic environments, ecologists have documented pineapple fish living on one specific ledge for upwards of seven years.… More:
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