Peppermint bass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peppermint bass |
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The peppermint bass or swissguard basslet (scientific name: Liopropoma rubre) is a small, colorful fish that lives in the ocean. It's a type of ray-finned fish and is related to groupers. You can find this fish in the western Atlantic Ocean. Because of its bright colors, the peppermint bass is a popular choice for home aquariums.
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What Does the Peppermint Bass Look Like?
The peppermint bass has a body that's a bit long and flat from side to side. It has a pointy head and a fairly big mouth. Its gill covers have three flat spines, and the back edge of its cheek bone (preoperculum) is a bit rough, like tiny teeth.
Its tail fin is slightly curved inward. The fish's body is covered in small, rough scales. Its top fin (dorsal fin) has 6 to 7 sharp spines and 12 soft rays.
The main color of the peppermint bass is yellow-orange. It has five wide black stripes along its body, each with red edges. There's a big black spot on the back of its top fin and another on its bottom fin (anal fin). Its tail fin has two black spots connected by a black bar. The spots on the top and tail fins are outlined in light blue. This fish can grow up to about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long.
Where Does the Peppermint Bass Live?
The peppermint bass lives in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean. You can find it near Bermuda and the Bahamas. It also lives in the Gulf of Mexico, especially around the Florida Keys and the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. It swims south through the entire Caribbean Sea.
Habitat and Life of the Peppermint Bass
The peppermint bass is a shy fish that usually lives alone. It prefers coral reefs, where it hides in deep cracks and caves. You can find it at depths from about 3 metres (9.8 ft) to 46 metres (151 ft). Even though it's a common fish, it's hard to spot because it's so secretive.
This fish is a carnivore, which means it eats other animals. It mostly feeds on small crustaceans, like tiny shrimp, and other small fish. Scientists believe that peppermint bass can change their sex from female to male during their lives.
Discovery of the Peppermint Bass
The peppermint bass was first officially described in 1861. A Cuban scientist named Felipe Poey (1799-1891) gave it its scientific name. He found the first known examples of this fish in Cuba.
Peppermint Bass in Aquariums
The peppermint bass is a popular fish for home aquariums because of its beautiful colors. It has even been successfully bred in captivity, meaning people have raised them from eggs in special tanks.
