Keeping leaf scorpions in pairs?

[Treehrtsme]

I often notice that one of my local fish stores gets in yellow scorpion fish (rhinopias?) every now and then in pairs. I was observing two of them together and I display tank and the smaller was pressing up against the other. Overall they were doing some weird things but it seemed like they had some sort of bond. Well I know not much is known about these fish for their mating habits I wondered if there's a reason they tend to get them in pairs and if the pairs should be kept together. Here's a picture of one of them

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I often notice that one of my local fish stores gets in yellow scorpion fish (rhinopias?) every now and then in pairs. I was observing two of them together and I display tank and the smaller was pressing up against the other. Overall they were doing some weird things but it seemed like they had some sort of bond. Well I know not much is known about these fish for their mating habits I wondered if there's a reason they tend to get them in pairs and if the pairs should be kept together. Here's a picture of one of them

That's a leaf fish, Taenianotus triacanthus. They are weakly venomous, but still don't handle them. They are sometimes sold as pairs, because they are found as pairs on the reef, but often, the pairs get split up during the supply chain. Here is an article on them:

Aquarium Fish: Leaf Scorpionfish (Taenianotus triacanthus)

The leaf scorpionfish is a reef safe fish that can be kept in reef tank with no harm to corals. But it is a threat to mobile inverts like shrimps and crabs, including much smaller fishes. It is best kept in peaceful community tank or a small reef tank that does not contains aggressive or picky...

reefs.com

 

[Treehrtsme]

That's a leaf fish, Taenianotus triacanthus. They are weakly venomous, but still don't handle them. They are sometimes sold as pairs, because they are found as pairs on the reef, but often, the pairs get split up during the supply chain. Here is an article on them:

Aquarium Fish: Leaf Scorpionfish (Taenianotus triacanthus)

The leaf scorpionfish is a reef safe fish that can be kept in reef tank with no harm to corals. But it is a threat to mobile inverts like shrimps and crabs, including much smaller fishes. It is best kept in peaceful community tank or a small reef tank that does not contains aggressive or picky...

reefs.com

I figured they were more likely that. The lfs I go to is often misleading with their labeling. I'll read up a little more. Is there a demerit to splitting a pair? The larger of the two appeared near full size if not already full grown and personally I didn't like to take full grown specimens with more difficult species.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I figured they were more likely that. The lfs I go to is often misleading with their labeling. I'll read up a little more. Is there a demerit to splitting a pair? The larger of the two appeared near full size if not already full grown and personally I didn't like to take full grown specimens with more difficult species.

I don't know of any negative affect for splitting up a pair of fish.....

 

[Treehrtsme]

I don't know of any negative affect for splitting up a pair of fish.....

I've come across that article before. From what I understand there isn't a lot of specific information on them, and none in regards to breeding and captivity. From what I recall the only indicator of male/female is subjectively that the males? I believe, are thought to be darker or richer in color. I just observed some interesting behavior between the two has a smaller of the pair seemed to follow the larger/stay close and often push at it with it's pectoral fins. Didn't seem to be any sort of act of aggression though it didn't seem like it had premeditated purpose. The two always did stay next to each other though which made me wonder if they behave differently alone. Regardless the speciment I picked up was left alone in a 30g qt until day 3 when it shed at some point and gained quite the appetite. Feeding live currently and messing around with rock setups and flow. A bit more of a go getter than I'm used to with keeping ambush predators in the past and definitely likes to find a spot to just sway around.

Thanks