Scorpionfish

Marine environment harbors an indefinite number of diverse life forms. We are in the process of discovering a few of the incredible organisms. Among the life forms in the oceans, the fish world is very interesting. There are about 28,000 types of fish. Scorpionfish is one of the wonderful yet poisonous life forms, which belong to the family Scorpaenidae. They are similar to the scorpion in their stings. There are about 48 genera and 380 species known to us. Most of the species belong to marine habitat but there are a few species, which live in fresh water habitats. Other members of the family are stonefish, lionfish, dragonfish, firefish, turkeyfish and stingfish. Some characteristic features of the family are highly compressed body, large mouth, spines on the head, operculum, preopercle and the dorsal and pectoral fins.

Facts about Scorpionfish

The most distinctive feature of a scorpionfish is that it "stings" with the help of its sharp spines. The spines are poisonous because they are coated with a venomous mucus. These fish are not violent but very gentle; only if they are threatened, they protrude their dorsal spines in order to defend themselves.

Since the lifestyle of scorpionfish is sedentary, very often cyanobacteria, algae and other parasites are seen growing on them. But the ability to shed their outer skin layer helps them get rid of the attached organisms.

They have large, heavily ridged heads that are covered with spines, and a compressed body.

Scorpionfish is attractively colored (brown or reddish brown) and can camouflage itself. Like others of its species, the scorpionfish can even change its color to match its surrounding environment. Sometimes, they look like pieces of corals or rocks and are often misidentified. The phenomenon of changing colors helps them in attacking their prey and also in defending themselves.

Scorpionfish usually inhabit the shallow waters, but few species reside even at a depth of 7200ft. They are solitary in nature and reside in caves, crevices and among the coral reefs.

Scorpionfish have a typical way of feeding. Normally, they wait for their prey to come across them. Once the prey passes, they create vacuum with their mouth and suck their prey within a fraction of seconds. They posses jaw teeth and feed on crustaceans, small fishes, and cephalopods.

Like many other fish, the scorpionfish are oviparous i.e. they lay eggs. During the process, they produce a gelatinous, floating mass in which the eggs are embedded. They usually breed in late spring or early summer.

They are widespread in the tropical and temperate seas and found in the Red Sea, the Caribbean Sea and the Indo-Pacific Ocean.

Scorpionfish in Aquarium

Due to their attractive color, scorpionfish have been an interest for hobbyists who rear them as aquarium fish, despite being poisonous. Taking care of them is very easy, provided that we should follow some of the basic requirements.

One of the most important tips is feeding. Like tropical fish have certain foods, there are also specific foods for scorpionfish. Live foods are usually given, which can be fresh water fish or marine water fish. However, care should be taken while choosing their foods, for e.g. continuous feeding of gold fish leads to thiamin deficiency, which often results in death due to loss of nervous system coordination. To prevent this, one can supplement with prepared foods.

Care should be taken while pairing with other fish in the aquarium, for e.g. scorpionfish will consume the toadfish and vice versa; so it is advisable to refrain from keeping them in the same aquarium.

Another point to be kept in mind, while making an aquarium, is to keep a natural environment based on the requirements of your particular species.

Scorpionfish Sting

Swimmers in the shallow sea may come in contact with scorpionfish and accidentally step on their spines. In a fraction of seconds, the scorpionfish protrudes its spines and stings. The effects of the sting are very risky. The first and foremost thing to do is wash the area with warm water. It is always recommended to seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms of a scorpionfish sting include pain, swelling, diarrhoea, fainting, vomiting, paralysis, delirium, and nausea.

Fish has been associated with human beings, since time immemorial. Be it freshwater fish or marine fish, they play a significant role in our life. Fish forms an important part of our diet and is a rich supplier of proteins. Commonly eaten fish are carp, flyingfish, eel, jellyfish, salmon, sharks, sardine, tuna, cuttlefish, catfish and so on. Many people keep them in aquariums for recreation. Some of the common aquarium fish are koi fish, rainbow fish, oscarfish, angelfish, pufferfish, clownfish, butterflyfish, starfish, hogfish, jawfish, and bettafish. There are parasitic fish also, for e.g. vampirefish and sea lamprey. Certain fish such as bluegills are used for monitoring water quality. Overall, fish are important for balancing the ecosystem.