Cleidopus gloriamaris

De Vis, 1882

Pineapple Fish

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: East, west and south coasts of Australia.

Size: 6 inches (15 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits coastal reefs and estuaries at depths between 65 – 800 feet (20 - 250 m) and remains hidden in caves during daytime hours, and hunts prey during evening hours. Feeds on sandy bottom areas mainly on crustaceans.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade, having a mostly yellow or yellowish orange body with a light organ on the lower jaw, which is only visible when the jaw is open.

Best maintained in dimly lit aquariums with several caves/hiding are and few tankmates, as they are quite shy.

Often difficult to get feeding, and if so, live foods, e.g., live enriched brine shrimp, grass shrimp, black worms (Lumbriculus variegatus), baby mollies and/or guppies should be offered. Over time, frozen foods like mysis, krill and brine shrimp may be more readily accepted and should be fed once or twice a day, preferably fed in evening hours.

Taxonomy:

Order: Beryciformes

Suborder: Trachichthyoidei

Family: Monocentridae

Genus: Cleidopus

FYI: Must have several caves/hiding areas.

Will eat smaller fishes.

Squrrelfishes, soldierfishes, and cardinalfishes are good tankmates.

Best maintained in small groups in a ‘single species’ aquarium.

Does best in lower 70’s temperatures.

Fairly hardy in the aquarium once settled in.

Similar in appearance to M. japonicus.

Has a light organ on the jaw, and the light produced by juveniles is green, yet reddish in adults.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: With caution

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Fish only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 75+ gallons

Temperature Range: 68 - 76°F (20 – 24°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5