Interesting Muck Diving – Ambon Scorpionfish Facts

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Maluku Diving

Registered
Messages
35
Reaction score
20
Location
Maluku, Ambon, Indonesia
# of dives
I'm a Fish!
Source Maluku Diving blogs - Maluku Diver Resort
Seeking to find a unique fish? Then you’ll definitely want to consider looking for the Ambon scorpionfish; also known as stingfish, firefish, rockfish, goblin fish, or hairy scorpionfish. This fish is the chameleon of the sea and its color changes depending on the surroundings, ranging from brown and yellow to green and red. The Ambon Scorpionfish can be very difficult to detect because of its great camouflage. It has an algae-like appearance and thus it is commonly found among algae clumps. Those who go Ambon diving have reported that these fish go out to open areas on occasion as they forage.

ambon-scorpionfish-yelow-inside-300x160.jpg


As mentioned, the appearance of the Ambon Scorpionfish helps make it mimic algae so well. Its physical features such as the supraorbital tentacles found above its eyes, dermal extensions on its face and many other adornments on its body help make it algae-like. It has also been found that the body adornments vary depending on the surroundings of the fish. Another distinguishing feature is its pectoral fins commonly held at either a 45ᵒ or .90ᵒ angle. They are often used to hide the fish’s profile because they look lace-like and are semitransparent.

The Ambon Scorpionfish is great as a tankmate. It moves slowly and stealthily, has a small mouth that only allows it to feed on small particles and it does not bother other fish of the same size. They eat live small feeder guppies and ghost shrimp. It is important to put other slow-moving and slow-feeding tank mates because this fish will not compete for food.

ambon-Scorpion-fish.jpg


The differences between a male and female Ambon Scorpionfish are subtle and not that easy to notice. However, they are sexually dimorphic with the males being larger in size and possessing larger heads. They also have a bigger number of dermal flaps than their female counterparts. This fish is not easy to find at the pet store and if you do find it, it will likely be solo. If you do have a male and female, you will notice that they spawn frequently.

One of the challenges of keeping these fish is that they often die without any apparent reason. Initially, they will eat well and look healthy, but in the long term, they are difficult to keep. When one goes Ambon diving however, you will find that they tend to live for a long time in the sea.

These fish usually wait for their prey to come closer before lunging forward to inhale them. Should they be disturbed, the spines on their backs will rise before they swim away. If they are cornered, however, they will charge very fast, so be careful as they are highly poisonous and dangerous.
 
Nice article! I was privileged to see one while in Bali a couple weeks ago.
 

Attachments

  • DSC07784.jpg
    DSC07784.jpg
    120.7 KB · Views: 119
Nice article! I was privileged to see one while in Bali a couple weeks ago.
Thank You Man.... I think that yoou see in Bali is Rhinopias... It's quite same but different, ambon scorpion fish is endemic in Ambon.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom