Pentapodus emeryii

(Richardson, 1843)

Double Whiptail, Banana Fish

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Philippines, Indonesia, and northwestern Australia.

Size: 8 inches (18 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits coastal reef slopes and usually found at depths between 6 - 100 feet (2 - 30 m) where it feeds upon small fishes and benthic invertebrates.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade, and quite attractive having bluish body with two lengthwise yellow bands, with the upper thinner than the lower. Tends to lose some of its intense colors as an adult.

Best maintained in well-established fish-only or reef aquariums with wide-open swimming areas, a somewhat deep sand bed where it's mostly exposed, and preferably containing some rocky crevices for hiding when feeling threatened. Do not house with aggressive tankmates

As to diet, requires finely chopped meaty foods such as fish flesh, shrimp, clams, mysis, scallops, earthworms and/or frozen carnivore foods, and fed three times daily.

May be difficult to feed in the early days in the aquarium and if so, live enriched adult brine shrimp or small glass/grass shrimp should be offered several times daily.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Percoidei

Family: Nemipteridae

Genus: Pentapodus

FYI: Will eat smaller fishes, snails, ornamental shrimp, fanworms/featherdusters, crabs and star fishes/brittle stars.

One per aquarium.

Requires a covered aquarium, as they are excellent jumpers.

Will sift the most upper edge of the sand in search of eatable prey.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: With caution

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful and too large to be eaten

Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.025

pH: 8.0 - 8.5