Taenianotus triacanthus are bottom dwelling ambush predators. They usually blend in well with their surroundings and wait for passing prey to come close enough to swallow. In aquaria I've seen these eat small fish and live shrimp. They sit on the bottom propped up on their wide pectoral fins, often swaying back and forth to resemble a leaf or blade of algae swaying in the current. These fish range in size up to about 10cm and are quite variable in color. We see them in a variety of atoll locations, including on the seaward reef slope and channels, lagoon pinnacles and lagoon algae patches. At one time, at least, there were a number in quarries on the Kwajalein reef flat where rock was mined for construction projects. Click the thumbnails below to retrieve pages of each color form.
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Created 27 April 2015