Fish of The Week

Last Update : Thursday 30 August, 2001 4:33 PM

Illust : Anuwat Saisaeng

Razorfish

Scientific name

Aeoliscus strigatus

Common name

Razorfish

Size

10 centimeters

Dispersion

Can be found in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand

Area found

Demersal fish, some time lives in unclear water.

Depth

2 – 30 meters. Mainly, not more than 10 meters in Thailand.

Feed on

Animals, mainly small plankton on the floor.

Situation

Can be found a little in some areas.

Conservation

Due to little data available, more study has to be conducted.

Fish Tip

Lovely and peculiar, who ever spot him should take your time observing him.

          Razorfish cannot be easily found in Thailand. According to the report, we have spotted them at Pattaya (Lan Island, a long time ago), coral reef near Pa Tong beach, PP Island and -the latest report- Surin Island. This type of fish is in Family Centriscidae . There are 4 Genus of them in Indo-Pacific area. This type is found most. There might be some other type but not confirmed yet.

          There are many special characteristics of this fish such as funny way of swimming, with heads pointing down. No matter if moving forward or backward, they would go in this manner. May be it is for a camouflage purpose because they like to live around staghorn coral, sea urchin and black coral. May be it is also because they always look for food like animal plankton or other small animals like shrimps on the floor. Swimming with heads pointing down, they can use their mouths more easily than swimming in a normal position. This character is so similar to ghost pipefish that many people think they are in the relative group. In fact, they are different in several points. Razorfish does not keep the ova in the stomach. Once spawned, they are floated along the water. The young grow up in the middle of the sea before coming back to the shore.

          Once point which I have long been doubted is the limit in dispersion of razorfish. They always are where we have found them, some times in a group. From the latest information, we can tell that there are some at Surin Island, certainly. Who ever would like to see them, try to go diving at the docking pontoon in front of Chong-khad Bay. Probability to spot them is very high, either day or night dive. Our Talaythai team members have spotted tens of them in the survey. Some are in the group. But some are alone. They have yellow color, different from the one above. The important point is that we have not found them in other area at all, even though other coral reefs seem to be a better place to live. I do not know why either. But according to the reports, razorfish in Thailand is found in deteriorated coral reef or unclear water spots. They are not usually found in the popular diving spots. So, most frogmen do not know them. But you have known them this Saturday because…you have come to visit us at Talaythai.com. Thank you for your visit.

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Razorfish



Scientific name	Aeoliscus strigatus
Common name	Razorfish
Size	10 centimeters
Dispersion	Can be found in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand
Area found	Demersal fish, some time lives in unclear water.
Depth	2 – 30 meters. Mainly, not more than 10 meters in Thailand.
Feed on	Animals, mainly small plankton on the floor.
Situation	Can be found a little in some areas.
Conservation	Due to little data available, more study has to be conducted.
Fish Tip	Lovely and peculiar, who ever spot him should take your time observing him.