Platax pinnatus (Red chauve-sourris)

Platax pinnatus (Red chauve-sourris)

Description

Very high in shape, this fish is strongly compressed laterally, with, in juvenile subjects, well developed dorsal and anal fins. Fundamental dark brown color to black, with an orange red strip that extends throughout the body. In adults, the fins become much more modest and the red band disappears completely.

Pinnatus platax is a fish from tropical regions of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. It is a fish from the Chaetodontidae family, known for their colorful fins and their gregarious behavior. Pinnatus platax is also known as star fish or balloon fish, due to its rounded shape and its star -shaped dorsal fin.

Pinnatus platax is a large fish, reaching an average of 30 to 40 cm, although some individuals can measure up to 50 cm long. Their body is spherical and slightly flattened on the sides, with a wide head and a right angle. Their dorsal thorn is long and thick, with flexible rays and apart from a star -shaped, which gives them a distinctive appearance.

The fins of the Pinnatus platax are bright and varied in color, with zigzag patterns and irregular stains of colors ranging from yellow to red through blue and purple. Their caudal fin is also colored, with a bright yellow strip on the top and blue and red spots on the sides.

Pinnatus platax lives in tight groups in the shallow waters of coral reefs, where they mainly feed on molluscs, crabs and small fish. They are known to be peaceful and sociable fish, which get along well with other species of reef fish. They can be floated slowly in reef currents, using their dorsal fin to maintain their position.

Pinnatus platax is a popular fish in the aquariophilia, due to its bright color and its gregarious behavior. However, due to their imposing size and their care needs, they are not recommended for beginners in aquarophilia.

Origin

  • Family : Ephippidae
  • Origin : Philippines, Indo-Australian archipelago, Indonesia.

Features

  • Adult size : 50 cm
  • Behaviour : Pleasant
  • Food : Omnivorous

Water

  • Water type : Seawater, hot
  • Temperature : 0 - 0 °C
  • pH : 0 - 0
  • Minimum aquarium capacity (in liters) :

Contribution

  • Created by : stingray
  • Last update : 19/09/2022

Pisces in the same family

Platax teira
Platax teira

Very high and flat body, almost triangular. Young people have a brown dress punctuated by darker and clearer tasks, which makes them look like a dead leaf. Their fins represent approximately 3/5th of ...