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PERCHES


MONODACTYLIDAE FAMILY
The Monodactylidae or Fingerfish family inhabits brackish water river estuaries and frequentlyventures into both fresh and marine habitats.Fingerfish are schooling fish which live in the coastal regions Africa,Southeast Asia, and Australia.

Mono, Fingerfish, False Angelfish, Malaysian Angelfish, Silver Mono [ Pictures ]
Monodactylus argenteus
SYN : Acanthopodusargenteus, Centogaster rhombeus, Centropodus rhombeus, Chaetodon argenteus, Monodactylus rhombeus, Psettus argenteus,P. rhombeus
PD : A tall, disc-shaped fish with lateral compression. The head is small, as is the mouth. Theeyes are large and have a black band running through them. The dorsal and anal fins are almost oppositeone other and the edge of the caudal fin is straight.The body is silver to white in color while the dorsal and caudal finsare green to orange to yellow.The front edge of the anal fin is black. Young often have a black line running across thegill cover connecting with the black of the anal fin.
SIZE : To 10" (25 cm)
SS : Other Monodactylus species.
HAB : In coastal lakes, estuaries, rivers, and lagoons in fresh, brackish, and sea water. RedSea, Southeast Asia, Australia, East African Coast.Occasionally inhabits salt water reefs.
S : all
TANK : A tank measuring 36" (91 cm) with a capacity from 35-45 gallons (132-170 L)is sufficient for a single school.Large tanks are recommended. Use a tank with good aeration and plentyof hiding places.Plants tolerant of brackish water may be used, although the Mono may nibble on their leaves. Usea substrate of fine gravel, or preferably coral sand.Use an efficient filter for this greedy eater.
WATER : pH 7-8.5 (7.2), 8-20 dH (10), 75-82°F (24-28°C). A 1-2% addition of salt is suggested.Add 7.5-15 TSP of salt per 10 gallons (10-20 g/10 L).
SB : The Mono can be combined with other large, hardy brackish water species. Smallfish may be eaten.Monos are timid and easily frightened, and should not be combined with substantially largerfish.A schooling fish by nature that should be kept in groups of at least five.
SC : Scats, Archerfish, Puffers, Arius
FOOD : Live; small fish, small crabs, shrimp, worms, insect larvae ; pellets; peas; lettuce;spinach; flakes; plant debris.
SEX : Too difficult to distinguish.
B : Unsuccessful in captivity
BP : 10.No reports of captive spawnings.
R :Young can be kept in freshwater, but prefer brackish. As they grow, more salt should be addedsince adults do best in pure salt water.Young have better colors, which fade with age.
DC : 7.This brackish water species requires frequent partial water changes and live foods.

Striped Mono, Striped Fingerfish, African Angelfish, Seba Mono [ Pictures ]
Psettus sebae
SYN : Monodactylussebae
PD : A tall, disc-shaped fish with lateral compression. The head is small, as is the mouth. Theeyes are large and have a black band running through them. The dorsal and anal fins are almost oppositeone other and the edge of the tail is almost straight. The body is silver to white in color while the fins arebody colored.The front edge of the anal and dorsal fins is black. This species has a black line runningacross the gill cover connecting with the black of the anal fin. The back edge of the anal and dorsal fins is alsoblack.
SIZE : To 8" (20 cm)
SS : Monodactylus species.
HAB : In estuaries of Zaire and Senegal rivers on the coast of West Africa.
S : all
TANK : 36" (90 cm) or 35 gallons (132 L). Follow suggestions for M. argenteus .
WATER : pH 7-8.5 (7.7), 12-30 dH (16), 75-82°F (24-28°C). A 3% addition of salt is required. Add23 TSP. of salt to every 10 gallons of water (30 g/10 L).
SB : As for M.argenteus.
SC : As for M.argenteus.
FOOD : Live; small fish, small crabs, shrimp, worms, insect larvae ; pellets; peas; lettuce;spinach; flakes; plant debris.
SEX : Too hard to distinguish
B :Spawning immediately follows a simple courtship where the male circles the female. About4, 000 eggs are laid.These hatch in 24-60 hours.Start feeding with newly hatched Brine Shrimp and other small livefoods.
BP : 10.Spawning has been accomplished only a few times to date, and few details pertaining towater composition are available.
R : This saltwater species may occasionally visit freshwater habitats and should not beconsidered a freshwater species.
DC : 8.This species requires brackish or salt water and a regime of frequent partial water changes.



Species Index | Fish Home | Rainforests




Recent news

Census of marine life opens with 122,000 species
(7/1/2008) Discovering a new species can be the highlight of a biologist's career. Yet once a species enters the formal literature, complications may develop. The systen has been especially problematic because for centuries biologists have lacked the tools to construct a full and flexible list of the world's innumerable species. Using the Internet and hundreds of scientists around the world, the Census of Marine Life is attempting to take on this monumental task.

Large shark populations fall 97% in the Mediterranean
(6/12/2008) Populations of some shark species in the Mediterranean have plunged by more than 97 percent over the past 200 years, report researchers writing in the journal Conservation Biology. Several species are at risk of extinction.

Dried-up Colorado takes toll on giant Mexican fish
(6/8/2008) The Colorado River vanishes before it reaches the Sea of Cortez in all but the wettest years. Companies in California and the southwestern U.S. have diverted its once-vibrant flow to quench their thirst for water and power. Now, a new study in the April 2008 issue of the journal Biological Conservation reports that the dwindling of this major artery has changed the way some marine fish in the Gulf of California grow and develop.

Diversity in streams may brace Chinook salmon for climate change
(6/3/2008) Chinook salmon face a one-two punch. They have disappeared from several rivers in the western U.S. largely because of human interventions and some populations are threatened or endangered. Numbers of Chinook in California's Central Valley have dwindled by 88 percent in the past five years, a loss that closed fisheries for 2008 and may cost California's economy $167 million, according to the state Department of Fish and Game. On top of all this looms a second impact: These salmon will be in hotter water still because of climate change.

Greenpeace ship attacked by Turkish tuna fishermen during protest
(5/30/2008) Members of a Turkish tuna fishing boat attacked the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise while the ship was engaged in a protest against overfishing. The incident occurred Friday in the Cypriot Channel and was reported to the Turkish Iskenderun Gulf Port Authorities.


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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2006

The copy for fish.mongabay.com was written in 1994-1995. Therefore some information such as scientific names may be out of date. For this, I apologize. Feel free to send corrections to me.