All fish / Tetrarogidae

Leaf Scorpionfish

Ablabys taenianotus

Also known as cockatoo waspfish, cockatoo scorpionfish, leaf fish, waspfish, sailback waspfish, amblyapistus taenianotus, ハチ, 背带帆鳍鲉

This waspfish has a very tall dorsal fin that starts above the eyes, and a squashed body in brown, tan or yellowish tones that looks like a dead leaf. It sways back and forth to copy drifting debris, and keepers like it for its odd look and its calm ambush hunting.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a pair

Diet

Carnivore: live and later frozen shrimp, mysis and small fish pieces

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: Andaman Sea and Indonesia to Japan, Australia and Fiji

Breeding

It scatters eggs in open water, and nobody has reported breeding it in a home aquarium. Almost all fish on sale are caught in the wild.

Good to know

It has venomous dorsal spines that can give a painful sting, so take care with hands in the tank. It will eat small fish and shrimps, and large or aggressive tankmates can bully it. Many sources still list it under the older name Ablabys or Amblyapistus taenianotus.