''Apogon maculatus'', commonly known as the flamefish, is a species of

cardinalfish Cardinalfishes are a family, Apogonidae, of ray-finned fishes found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans; they are chiefly marine, but some species are found in brackish water and a few (notably '' Glossamia'') are found in fresh water. A ...

from the Western

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

. The flamefish is

nocturnal Nocturnality is a ethology, behavior in some non-human animals characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatur ...

and typically hides in shadowy areas.

Description

The flamefish can grow to a size of , depending on its environment. The body of the flamefish is reddish-orange with small spots of black, and a large dark area on its tail. The color combination is similar to fire, which gives the fish its name. A long black stripe is present on the fish's snout. Within the flamefish's scales, there are small comb-like spines for protection and flexibility. Additionally, it has pre-dorsal scales that protect its gills. The flamefish also has around 11-13 pectoral fins that help in changing direction and speed.

Distribution

The flamefish is usually found in the waters of the Western Atlantic Ocean. It primarily resides near the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, and the Caribbeans. However, the flamefish has also been reported in Canada, Massachusetts, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Brazil.

Habitat

Due to its small size, the flamefish hides from predators within

coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in group ...

s. Since

s have abundant resources, they have become a popular mating site for flamefish.

Breeding

The flamefish participates in oral brooding or oral incubation. After the female lays eggs, a male will fertilize them and keep the eggs in its mouth. Although, the male flamefish's mouth is relatively protective, stress may decrease its parental care.

Human use

In captivity the fish's

color Color (or colour in English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English; American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, see spelling differences) is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Though co ...

tends to fade unless it's fed color enhancing

vitamins Vitamins are organic molecules (or a set of closely related molecules called vitamers) that are essential to an organism in small quantities for proper metabolic function. Essential nutrients cannot be synthesized in the organism in suff ...

. It grows to a size of in captivity. This fish can be

aggressive Aggression is behavior aimed at opposing or attacking something or someone. Though often done with the intent to cause harm, some might channel it into creative and practical outlets. It may occur either reactively or without provocation. In h ...

towards other cardinalfish. Only one should be kept in a tank, unless it is a mated pairs. Two flamefish are suggested to be placed in a 55 imperial gallons (250 L) or larger tank. Otherwise it does well with peaceful tank mates as long as it has caves and places to hide. The ideal water conditions are

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making ...

s of , with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4, sg 1.020–1.025, and

dKH Degrees of german carbonate hardness (°dKH or ; the dKH is from the German ''deutsche Karbonathärte'') is a unit of water hardness, specifically for temporary or carbonate hardness. Carbonate hardness is a measure of the concentration of carbona ...

at 8 to 12. The flamefish occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade because of its uniqueness. The flamefish thrives in aquariums with only fish. Rocks and hiding areas are necessary to help the flamefish feel safe. If felt threatened by another tank fish, the flamefish may remain dormant by hiding during the day. In captivity, the flamefish eats minced crustaceans and clams daily. Some suggest that the flamefish should be fed in the early morning and evening.

References

External links

*
Animal Planet
Animal Planet ''Apogon maculatus'' info page

reef2reef fish of the day ''Apogon maculatus'' info *

maculatus {{Short pages monitor