Silver moony (Monodactylus argenteus)

Scientific name: Monodactylus argenteus Linnaeus, 1758

Silver moony (Monodactylus argenteus)

The Silver moony (Monodactylus argenteus) is a freshwater fish of the family Monodactylidae that grows to about 25 cm (9.8 in). It is moderate to keep and semi-aggressive, suits community aquariums and needs a tank of at least 190 L (50 US gal), water at 24–28°C (75–82°F) and a pH of 7.0–8.5. Native range: Eastern coast of Africa, through to Indonesia.

Silver moony care at a glance

Care level
Moderate
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Community tank
Good
Adult size
25 cm (9.8 in)
Minimum tank
190 L (50 US gal)
Temperature
24–28°C (75–82°F)
pH
7.0–8.5
Diet
Omnivore. Accepts flakes, frozen foods and live foods.

Biology

Found in bays, mangrove estuaries, tidal creeks, and lower reaches of freshwater streams; occasionally in silty coastal reefs. Feeds on plankton and detritus. Commonly seen in schools; small juveniles either solitary or in small aggregations. Highly territorial. Caught with throw nets.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Monodactylus argenteus
Family
Monodactylidae (Moonyfishes or fingerfishes)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
27.0
Common length
12.0
Environment
Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to the Yaeyamas, south to New Caledonia and Australia. Known from the freshwater tidal zone of the Mekong delta.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

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Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Aquarium care parameters compiled, checked and converted to metric and imperial units by Guppies.za.net.

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