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Slopefish (Symphysanodon typus) — Symphysanodontidae

Slopefish

Symphysanodon typus

The Slopefish (Symphysanodon typus) is a saltwater fish of the family Symphysanodontidae that grows up to 17 cm.

Length
17 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
50.0–400.0 m
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The slopefish is a deep-reef fish (Symphysanodontidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 17 cm and has an elongate, pink to reddish body with a deeply forked tail and large eyes. As a dweller of deeper rock and reef slopes it often swims in loose schools above the bottom and hunts small zooplankton and small crustaceans in the water column. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Slopefish?

The Slopefish has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly red-orange.

Where does the Slopefish live?

The Slopefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around mixed bottom.

How big does the Slopefish get?

The Slopefish grows to a maximum of about 17 cm.

Is the Slopefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Slopefish is harmless to humans.

Is the Slopefish edible?

Yes, the Slopefish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Hellingbaars sourced
English name
Slopefish sourced
Scientific name
Symphysanodon typus
Family
Symphysanodontidae
Other names
Insular shelf beauty verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
17.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
50.0 verified
Max depth (m)
400.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Symphysanodon

More from the family Symphysanodontidae

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