Batfish

About 60 species of batfishes are found all over the world. Batfishes are belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae and the order Lophiiformes. The red-lipped batfish are found in the warm and temperate seas. Usually, the batfishes have broad, flat heads and slim bodies. Entire bodies of batfishes are covered with hard lumps and spines.  Some species of batfishes have an elongated ad upturned snout.  The batfishes can grow up to a maximum length of about 36cm. The Red-leaved baitfish is a unique species that are found near Galapagos Island and Peru and they can encounter in the  10 to 249 feet depth. Another most unique species of batfish is Rosie-lipid baitfish, which can be encountered from Cocos Island and along the Pacific Ocean.

Further, the species of batfishes are poor swimmers and they usually prefer to walk on the bottom using their thickened, limb-like pectoral and pelvic fins. Generally, the batfishes prefer to live in the deep sea, but some countable species have inhabited in the shallow water. The group of Batfishes are also known as anglerfish because, they are outfitted with a “fishing pole,” tipped with a fleshy “bait” to attract their prey close enough to be eaten. Such apparatus of the batfish located neat to their small mouth, but they are absent in other anglers. This entire article will provide the entire habitat, physical characteristics, prey, predators, reproduction habitat..etc.

[Image will be Uploaded Soon] 

Characteristics of Batfish

Habitat of Batfish 

Usually, many fishes have many different types of water bodies and natural habitats and they are spread over in the various part of the world. While coming to the batfishes, they are naturally habituated in the saline water.  So, are spread over in the warm salt water of oceans and seas. Some species of batfishes prefer to live in brackish water or freshwater. But the majority of species are spending their lives in saltwater. 

The batfishes are the bottom dweller species of the ocean, they can often encounter from the deep ocean, which is about more than 100 feet. The juveniles of the batfish prefer to hide in the little caves and rocks on the ocean floor, to protect themselves from predators. They are also in the reef edges, which are in the deep sea. The bottom of the ocean provide shelter, protection and also provide access to their feeds like algae and other fishes.  The deep ocean does not have high sunlight, which makes them for better survival. The deepwater have low temperature and low alkalinity and high pressure, their bodies are capable to survive in that location

For the life of Batfish, they require specific gravity of about 1.018 to 1.025, their required pH range is about 8.2 to 8.4 and the alkalinity range should be between 3.5 to 4.5 meq/L. The batfish prefer to live in a water temperature of about  77 to 80oF with zero ammonia, nitrates and nitrites level.

Physical Appearance of Batfish 

Some countable numbers of batfish species have some unique appearance. The red-lipped batfishes have a strange morphological appearance. As their name suggests, they have oblivious red lips. The body of the batfishes is generally light brown with a greyish colouration in their back.  The batfishes are not such good swimmers, so they use their pectoral fins for walking on the floor of the ocean. The structure of the head of batfishes is called illicium. They use their unique head structure for enticing prey. Further, the Red-lipped batfish have a short disk perimeter,  but their fibber pectoral fin ray count is higher when you compare it to the porrects.​

All types of batfish have their consolidated body. Further, all the species of batfish are generally divided into two families. They are Ogcocephalidae and Ephippidae. The batfish with the parallel abridged body and a  prolonged fin is kept under the Ephippidae family. The batfishes with the abnormal fin size and the transversely compressed bodies are kept under the family Ogcocephalidae. The red-lipped batfish also belongs to the family Ogcocephalidae, which can grow up to the length of 20.3cm.

Behaviours of Batfish 

The batfishes are usually curious fish, usually, divers will always eager to notice them in the deep sea. The batfishes may prefer to live in pairs or in solitary. Sometimes the batfishes may pair with turtles. It is difficult to encounter juveniles of batfish because they are quite shy species.  Batfishes are an inquisitive nature, so they are often found around buoy lines and shipwrecks. Many adult batfishes will work in a group to protect themselves from other marine predators. These adult batfish schools will make them appear as big individuals. Usually, batfishes work with strategies to scare away the majority of their potential predators.

Also, the young batfishes use their mimicry sound to defend themselves from predators. The batfish juveniles sometimes cover and blend into their immediate surrounding so that it is very difficult for the potential predators to identify them. The mimic of batfishes creates an impression for predators like they are inedible or poisonous creatures. But all the species of batfishes are highly lovable and are suitable for keeping them as an aquatic pet. 

Food Habitat of Batfish 

Usually, the batfishes are Omnivorous species. The batfishes in the ocean take algae or planktons, small fishes, mussels, shrimps, insects..etc. Sometimes, the young fishes take time to search for their food. They also found on the reef to catch small invertebrates living near the reefs. 

Reproduction of Batfish

The batfish usually undergo sexual reproduction and they lay eggs that are pelagic larvae. They will spawn eggs in the open ocean. While The young juveniles are pelagic stage, they will settle on the reefs or in lagoons. The average live span of batfishes is about twelve years. 

Types of Batfishes and Characteristics 

Orbiculate Batfish Characteristics 

The orbiculate batfish, a kind of batfish is also known as the cooper batfish. The appearance of orbiculate batfish will vary frequently from their juvenile stage to their adult stage. They can change their colour and body shape. This is one other smallest species among the batfishes. A well-grown adult of Orbiculate Batfish can grow up to the length of 20 inches. They have a  flat body shape and looks oval. The Orbiculate Batfish are yellow or silver with two stripes. One stripe across their eyes and the other across their side fin. 

Usually, the juvenile orbiculate batfish appears in reddish-brown with black spots around their body. Sometimes, the fishes have black spots around their body.  According to the study, the orbiculate batfish can live for about 5 to 12 years. They are peaceful and friendly fishes so they do not prefer to live with aggressive five. These species cannot defend themselves, so they stay under the reef for protection.  The Orbiculate Batfish should be stored in a FOWLR environment.

Teira Batfish Characteristics 

The Teira batfish are also termed the longfin spadefish or the round-faced batfish or longfin batfish. The juvenile batfish are in the brown colour body. They have very long dorsal and anal fins. So, the length of the teira fishes is less. The well-developed adult teira batfish can change their colour from silver to grey and brown body colour. The adult teira batfishes have two stripes across their body, one across their eyes and another stripe across their pectoral fin. The body of the batfish looks like a triangle with widespread fins. The teira batfish can grow up to a length of about 60cm. 

The major food source for the Teira Batfishes is coral, small invertebrates and sessile invertebrates. These are also peaceful species so they cannot live with an aggressive species. The teira batfish also lives in school with the same species. Their natural habitat is in the Indo-west Pacific Ocean. The Teira batfishes cover a large space for swimming. They also prefer to live in a sandy substrate marine environment. 

Pinnatus Batfish Characteristics

The Pinnatus batfish are also known as the red-faced batfish or Dusky batfish. The pinnatus batfish images show that they have a dark brown body colour that is outlined with orange stripes. The Pinnatus Batfish are usually found in protected shallow waters. The Pinnatus bat fishes are very sensitive fish and they can grow fast. They are very delicate fish and usually form small groups to live or can live alone. 

The Pinnatus batfish can grow up to the length of about 18 inches. The juvenile Pinnatus batfish are also in black body colour with bright orange stripes on their body, while they reached their adult stage they lose their beauty and become silver fish with black stripes. The  Pinnatus batfish are omnivores species and their major feed is invertebrate marine species. They also look like flying eagles, while they are spreading their wings for swimming. This is also a peaceful fish. So, they do not live with aggressive fishes.

Batfishes as Pet in Aquarium 

Batfishes can even keep in a home aquarium and they require a high level of care for surviving outside the marine environment. Some species are not adopted for aquarium setup, but some batfish species prefer to live in aquariums. People looking to set up an aquarium with batfish requires huge patience and regular monitoring for their habitat. 

The batfish requires the saltwater environment to survive and they are occasionally found in brackishwater. For domesticating batfish in the aquarium they require 200 gallons of water as they require huge space for swimming. The batfishes usually look small in the juvenile stage, but they can grow up to the length of 30 inches in an aquarium environment. Also, they require a sandy base in the aquarium. The tanks with live rocks and caves will provide a good dark place, which will provide security to the fish. All the species of batfishes are peaceful fish, so they should keep in a peaceful environment also they cannot share their tank with aggressive species. 

Adult batfish also requires the take of more than 300 gallons of water with the wide-open space for swimming with enough hiding place for the fish to hide, when they feel scared or tired. Also, batfish do not breed in the tank setup. So, it is important to get expert aquarist advice for a better outcome. Still, scientists do not have much idea about setting up a natural environment for batfish. 

For the better survival of batfish in aquariums, maintaining good water is most predominant. Can use well-filtered saltwater in the aquarium and need to check the water parameters in regular intervals of time. To maintain the health of batfish, it necessary to use strong and efficient biological and mechanical filtration. Chemical filtration is important to carry out wastes by inserting a bag of aquarium carbon in an area where the water flow is high inside the sump. Carbon can also be used in tanks for removing dirt from the water like acid, fats as well as dissolved wastes. Can use this method to keep the water clean. 

The common name for Batfish are Galápagos batfish in English and Pez murciélago and Pez murciélago labio rojo in Spanish. According to the recent IUCN red list report, the batfishes are falls under the least concern category. But these species are not facing any threats and also do not face any declination in population, only because they are inhabited in the deep water.