Slender suckerfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slender suckerfish |
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The slender suckerfish or lousefish (Phtheirichthys lineatus) is a special kind of remora. It lives in tropical and subtropical seas all over the world. You can find it in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. These fish usually live in waters from 1 to 100 meters (about 3 to 328 feet) deep.
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What Does It Look Like?
The slender suckerfish has a long, thin body. It has long fins on its back (dorsal fin) and belly (anal fin). The dorsal fin has 29 to 33 rays, and the anal fin has 29 to 34 rays. Its side fins (pectoral fins) have 18 to 21 rays.
Its Special Sucker Disc
One of the most interesting things about this fish is the sticky disc on top of its head. This disc is quite small compared to other remoras. It's about 18-28% of the fish's total length. The disc has 9 to 11 special ridges called lamellae that help it stick.
Color and Size
The slender suckerfish can be pale, dark brown, or almost black. Bigger fish have a clear dark brown stripe along their side. This stripe has thinner white stripes above and below it. Their fins are usually blackish. The outer parts of the longer back and belly fin rays are light. The edges of the outer tail fin rays are also light.
This fish usually grows to about 34 centimeters (13 inches) long. However, some have been seen as long as 76 centimeters (30 inches)! The sticky disc on its head is fully grown when the fish is about 50 millimeters (2 inches) long.
How It Lives
The slender suckerfish has the smallest sticky disc among all remoras. This means it doesn't always need to stick to another animal. You might see it swimming freely in the ocean. It can also attach itself to things that aren't alive, like floating logs or boats.
What It Eats
This fish mostly eats small pieces of other fish and tiny ocean creatures called plankton. Other types of remoras often eat parasites off the animals they stick to. But the slender suckerfish prefers different kinds of food.
Reproduction
Scientists do not know much about how the slender suckerfish reproduces.
