Heniochus intermedius (Red Sea bannerfish)
Heniochus intermedius (Red Sea bannerfish)
Written by Monday, 25 January 2010 00:00
See photoalbum of Heniochus intermedius.
General
|
Scientific Name or classification |
Heniochus intermedius (Steindachner, 1893)
|
|---|---|
|
Common Name |
Red Sea bannerfish |
|
Synonyms |
None |
|
Family |
Chaetodontidae |
|
Type Locality |
Red Sea at Suez |
|
Etymology |
Heniochus from Greek: Henia (ηνία = reigns) + eho (=have) i.e. the one that holds (has) the reigns, the charioteer. From Latin: intermedius: intermediate, the one that is in between, |
Species Information
|
Size (TL or SL in cm) |
Up to 20 cm |
|---|---|
|
Identification |
Medium size (20 cm) butterfly fish, with the typical banner fish dorsal filament. Two black bands, the second starts behind the dorsal filament, the first reaches the eye. Yellow pectoral, dorsal and caudal fins, yellowish space between the 2 bands. |
|
Sexing |
No sexual dimorphism or visible marks. |
Habitat
|
Natural distribution |
Reef-associated; Red Sea to Gulf of Aden, Western Indian Ocean, at a depth of 3m to 50 m. |
|---|---|
|
pH |
Higher pH, 8.2-8.4 is recommended. |
|
Temperature |
Standard for tropical marine tanks (24o-26oC) |
|
Other parameters |
As with all butterfly fish this fish tolerates a range of salinities. They prefer, however a salinity range which is not consistently too low. 1.025-1.021 is a tolerable range. |
Husbandry
|
Feeding |
In nature it feeds on zooplankton and benthic invertebrates. In the aquarium this fish is an eager feeder on all types of meaty foods. They readily consume frozen, flake, fresh, freeze-dried, seemingly whatever foods offered. They will even accept food directly from the surface of the water by hand. As with the rest of their family, these butterflyfishes should be fed a variety of foods. Feed frequently (at least 2-3 times daily) in small amounts. Clean, pollution-free tubificid worms are relished after the fish have been trained on them. Use live freshwater foods as an occasional high-protein treat. Some vegetable matter should be offered in the diet; best if grown in the system itself. |
|---|---|
|
Compatibility |
These butterflyfishes are social animals, being found in groups of a pair or more to veritable shoals of a few hundred individuals. It makes sense that they should not be kept solitarily if possible. Try to observe them in their tank at your LFS and choose two or more that appear to associate readily. |
|
Suggested |
Heniochus may be eaten by typical large predatory fishes in whose mouths they can fit. Be wary of basses, lionfishes, morays etc. Though they are "quick on their fins " during the day, butterflyfishes "sleep" peacefully on the bottom in the evenings and may become midnight snacks if housed with the wrong tankmates. |
|
Furniture |
Some hiding places, Caulerpa sp. growth in the tank is highly encouraged for this species. |
|
Suitability for |
Ideal for the reef aquarium. |
|
Recommended |
400 L or larger for a pair. |
|
Behaviour in |
In line with the usual butterflyfish behaviour Heniochus are not aggressive; they have neither the teeth nor the body armament for it. If enough space is provided they will gladly choose flight over fight. Heniochus, between and among species, may "butt" with their head projections, but this is generally not dangerous. |
|
Other remarks |
They are superbly adaptable aquarium specimens which acclimatize quickly, thrive under a variety of conditions, are not quarrelsome & readily accept all types of food. Chemical parameters are not a problem with these species. They are more tolerant of endogenous pollution than most commonly kept aquarium species. |
Breeding
|
Breeding |
To-date not reported in captivity. Oviparous, monogamous; form pairs during breeding. (3) |
|---|
References / Citations:
1. Sea DB. World Database for Marine Species
3. Fishbase
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|