Saltwater
Moorish idol
Zanclus cornutus
Zanclidae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 23 cm
- Body shape
- Deep-bodied
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 292 liters
- Diet
- Missing
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Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
Native
Lives wild in American Samoa, Australia, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, and 49 more countries.
More about the species
Description
Adults inhabit turbid inner lagoons, reef flats, and clear seaward rocky and coral reefs. Benthopelagic. Generally encountered in small groups of 2 or 3 individuals. Adults occur singly, in pairs and occasionally are seen in large schools. They feed on small encrusting animals. Size of metamorphosis from postlarva to juvenile is 7.5 cm. The long pelagic larval stage is the reason for the wide distribution and strong colouration that shows no geographical variation. Popular aquarium fish but rarely survives in tanks. Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Chaetodon canescens
- Chaetodon cornutus
- Zanclus canescens
- Zanclus cornatus
- Zanclus cornotus
In other languages
- Hornfisk
- Zanclide
- Sarvikala
- Kihikihi, Moonish idol, Moorishidol
Articles
All articles
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.
From freshwater to saltwater3 min read
What is different in a saltwater aquarium: salt, refractometer, live rock and corals. An introduction for anyone thinking of giving it a try.