Pinecone fishes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pinecone fishes
Pinecone fish, Monocentris japonica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Beryciformes
Family:	Monocentridae
Genera
Cleidopus Monocentris See text for species.

Pinecone fishes are small, unique fish that belong to a special group called the Monocentridae family. There are only four different kinds, or species, of pinecone fish in the world. They live in warm, tropical, and subtropical parts of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. People sometimes keep pinecone fishes in home aquariums, but they can be quite expensive and tricky to care for.

Monocentris japonica

Where Do Pinecone Fishes Live?

Pinecone fishes like to live in ledges and caves. You can find them around rocky areas and coral reefs where the ocean floor is hard. These fish are nocturnal, which means they are most active at night. During the day, they usually hide.

What Are the Different Kinds of Pinecone Fish?

There are two main groups, or genera, of pinecone fish. Each group has different species.

• Genus Cleidopus
  • Pineapplefish, Cleidopus gloriamaris De Vis, 1882.

The pineapplefish is the largest type of pinecone fish. It can grow up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long.

• Genus Monocentris
  • Monocentris japonica (Houttuyn, 1782).
  • Monocentris neozelanicus (Powell, 1938).
  • Monocentris reedi Schultz, 1956.