Pterois miles (Devil firefish)
Pterois miles (Devil firefish)
Written by Tuesday, 26 January 2010 00:00
See photoalbum of Pterois miles.
General
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Scientific Name or classification |
Pterois miles (Bennett 1828)
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Common Name |
Devil firefish, Soldier lionfish, Indian Turkeyfish. |
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Synonyms |
Scorpaena miles, Pterois muricata |
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Family |
Scorpaenidae |
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Type Locality |
Eilat, Israel, northern Gulf of Eilat, Red Sea |
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Etymology |
Pterois from Greek: feathery referring to the spines of the fish; miles from Latin (the Roman name Milo), itself from the element miles (= 'soldier'). |
Species Information
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Size (TL or SL in cm) |
Adults can grow as large as 14 inches (35 cm) in length while juveniles may be shorter than 1 inch. |
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Identification |
Devil firefish are clad in white stripes alternated with red, maroon, or brown. The fish have fleshy tentacles which protrude from both above the eyes and below the mouth. The pectoral fin is present in a distinctive fan-like shape, and dorsal spines are long and separated. Every spine of the firefish is venomous. While no fatalities due to firefish stings have been reported, their venom is considered to be extremely painful. Its face is less angular than the Volitan Lionfish. Dorsal spines (total): 13; dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 11; anal spines: 3; anal soft rays: 6 - 7. Reddish to tan or grey in colour, with numerous thin dark bars on body and head; tentacle above eye may be faintly banded. Adults have a band of small spines along the cheek and small spots in the median fins. |
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Sexing |
The Pteroines, including P. miles and P. volitans, are gonochoristic; males and females exhibit minor sexual dimorphism only during reproduction (see Fishelson 1975). (4) |
Habitat
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Natural distribution |
Indian Ocean: Red Sea, South Africa, Indonesia, Also known in eastern Mediterranean. Very similar in appearance to Pterois volitans which does not occur in the Red Sea. Areas with crevices or lagoons, often on the outer slope of coral reefs. The firefish inhabits reefs from about 10m to 175 m depth. |
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pH |
Higher pH, 8.2-8.4 is recommended. |
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Temperature |
Standard for tropical marine tanks (24o-26oC) |
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Other parameters |
None reported. |
Husbandry
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Feeding |
Piscivore. Meaty foods, better fed every other day. Avoid overfeeding – a common cause of trouble with this species. |
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Compatibility |
Will eat smaller fish. The fish can eat tankmates of considerable size. |
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Suggested |
Large fish that cannot become prey. Avoid fish which can prey on the P. miles, like most groupers. |
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Furniture |
Crevices for the fish to retreat or rest. |
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Suitability for |
See below. |
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Recommended |
400 L tank for one species, can hold a second if adequate aquascaping is provided but better keep them solitary. |
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Behaviour in |
Rarely seen in the hobby. Almost identical to the classic Pterois volitans, it commands a much higher price due to transportation cost. |
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Other remarks |
As juveniles firefish live in small groups but as adults they typically occur alone (Fishelson 1997). Individuals are relatively inactive during the day, typically sheltering in reef crevices. The firefish is a nocturnal species and its prey includes small fishes and crustaceans, which are swept up and trapped with the extended pectoral fins. The species is relatively quick to adapt to novel prey types and quickly learns to avoid noxious prey. An increase in piscivory occurs with age. |
Breeding
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Breeding |
Todate has not been reported in captivity. |
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References / Citations:
1. Wikipedia
3. United States Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (U.S.G.S. - N.A.S.)
4. Fishelson, L., "Ethology and reproduction of pteroid fishes found in the Gulf of Agaba (Red Sea), especially Dendrochirus brachypterus (Cuvier), (Pteroidae, Teleostei).", Pubblicazioni della Stazione zoologica di Napoli, 39:635-656, 1975. Reference in Morris J. A. Jr, Akins J. L., Barse A., Cerino D., Freshwater D. W., Green S. J., Muñoz R. C., Paris C. and Whitefield P. E., Biology and Ecology of the Invasive Lionfishes, Pterois miles and Pterois volitans, e2ccb.org
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