All fish / Scorpaenidae

Weedy Scorpionfish

Rhinopias frondosa

Also known as weedy scorpion fish, popeyed scorpionfish, rhinopias, frondosa scorpionfish, weedy rhinopias, lacy scorpionfish, ボロカサゴ, 前鳍吻鲉, 大鳍吻鲉

A deep-bodied scorpionfish with leafy skin flaps, a frilly outline and colours ranging from red and pink to yellow and brown, built to look like seaweed. It spends most of its time sitting still and waiting to ambush prey, and advanced marine keepers prize it as a rare showpiece.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Keep singly or as a matched pair

Diet

Carnivore: live or freshly killed fish and shrimp at first, slowly weaned onto thawed silversides, mysis and krill

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa to Japan, Indonesia and Australia

Breeding

Pairs spawn floating egg masses in the wild, but captive breeding is very rare and the larvae are hard to raise.

Good to know

The fin spines are venomous and can cause a painful sting. It will eat any fish or shrimp small enough to swallow, and wild-caught fish are often reluctant to take dead food.