Kingdom : Animalia Class : Actinopterygii Family : Scorpaenidae Scientific Name : Scorpaenidae Size(L) : 14cm - 45cm (6in - 18in) Water Type : Salt Optimum pH Level : 8.1 - 8.4 Life Span : 10 - 15 years Colour : Brown, Black, White, Red, Orange, Yellow Skin Type : Scales Distinctive Features : Venomous sting and camouflaged body
- Scorpion Fish are a group of fish that inhabit the shallow, temperate waters of the Indian and South Pacific Ocean.
- They are found amongst the coral reefs as their markings and the color of their feathery fins camouflage them well there.
- There are around 200 species of scorpion fish found in the world.
- They are a popular choice to be kept in tanks and artificial aquariums for their behavior and appearance.
- They are predatory fish which are also nocturnal in nature, resting in the coral crevices during the day and hunting at night.
- They ambush their prey and sting them with their venom thereby stunning them before eating.
- They are dominant predators, preying on small fish, snails and crustaceans.
- Their very few natural predators are large fish and sea lions.
- Humans pose a big threat to the scorpion fish by hunting them for keeping them in captivity in aquariums.
- The female scorpion fish lays around 2,000-15,000 eggs in water which is fertilized by the male scorpion fish.
- The fertilized eggs float to the water surface, where they hatch after 2 days.
- The scorpion fish fries remain close to the water till they are an inch long, after which they go down to the reefs.
- Habitat loss in the form of destruction of coral reefs is their biggest threat today.