the handle-fish is given a home in the warmer parts of the three big oceans with approximately 30 types. they live in coral-reefs and coast-strips mainly.
The name "Handle-fish" derives from the particular order of the two first rays of the back-fin. The first fin-ray becomes same, raised once, from the second fin-ray closed - quite similarly the handle-mechanism when securing a gun. So the fish with the closed fin-rays can become wedged so in narrow gaps of the coral-rocks with danger that it cannot become forth-drawn from an enemy. The solid one and roughens, offers an additional protection plated skin through bone-plates. The name neither still therefore has with the at the side strongly compressed shape with the circumstance that the animals like to "shirk" with concern in splits to do something.
Shape and coloring Many handle-fish-types attract attention through its splendid coloring. Some are colored so bizarre and varied that the name "Picasso-fish" was awarded them. The colorful, poster-good colors are a warning-official dress, that signals the Artgenossen in the narrowly restricted habitat of the coral-reef: This is my precinct!
The body-form of a handle-fish is distinctive. The head is very big for a fish and measures 1/3 of the length. The mouth seems only small on the other hand, is busy with sharp and powerful teeth, however, that are very well suitable for crunching from crustaceans. Outside admittedly, many handle-fish deceive a very big mouth and with it special defense-ready-ness before, a mask-good drawing extends the mouth-corners until under the eyes.
Way of life Handle-fish are robbers. they shatter mussel-peels, Korallenstöckchen and even urchin-casings easily in order to reach the sought-after content. If the loot is hidden in the sand, so it becomes freigepustet with a powerful water-ray. For the Perlmuschelzüchtern, the handles are hated, because they can prepare considerable damage in the breeding-benches.
Handle-fish usually are "sullen" loners, who don't tolerate any Artgenossen also in the aquarium. At night, they frequently sleep completely lying on the side; already some sea-water-aquarianist held its handle-fish fright for dead when switching on the illumination in the first. The attitude of the tough animals is quite simple, only the intolerance can cause problems.
It still is noteworthy that the handles can generate lutes - like incidentally many other fish also (fish).
Types The Picasso-fish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus, until 30 cm) and the leopard-handle-fish (Balistoides conspicillum, until 50 cm) from the Indopazifik often is passengers of show-aquariums because of the splendid scrutiny.
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