Bicolor Goatfish, scientifically known as Parupeneus barberinoides, is a marine fish found in the western Pacific Ocean. It lives in coral reefs and is found anywhere from 1 to 40 meters deep.
This species is found in the aquarium trade.
Adult Bicolor Goatfish swim alone while young ones swim in groups. They are usually seen around coral reefs in protected areas like bays or lagoons, or deeper parts of outer-reef zones down to at least 40 meters.
Bicolor Goatfish live in mixed environments with sand, rubble, and seaweed-covered floors near coral reefs.
They eat meat-based diets that include worms, crustaceans, brittle stars, small mollusks, and heart urchins.
You need to be cautious while adding them to a reef aquarium as they may disturb other inhabitants.
Bicolor Goatfish Interesting Facts
- Bicolor Goatfish grow up to a maximum length of 11.8 inches (30.0 centimeters) but are usually around 7.9 inches (20.0 centimeters) long.
- They live in coral reefs and mixed environments with sand, rubble, and seaweed-covered floors.
- Their diet consists of meat-based foods such as worms, crustaceans, and small mollusks.
- Unique features include reddish-black front half and white-yellow back half, and barbels that are red in color.
Bicolor Goatfish Habitat
Bicolor Goatfish is found in the Western Pacific, from places like the Moluccas and Philippines to western Samoa, Ryukyu Islands, New Caledonia, and Tonga.
It also lives in Palau, Caroline, and the Marshall Islands in Micronesia. One record even shows it in Shark Bay, Western Australia.
Bicolor Goatfish is a marine species that lives near reefs. It is found at depths of 1 to 100 meters (3 to 328 feet).
This fish prefers tropical waters and is usually seen between latitudes of 30°N to 25°S.
| Water Temperature: | Unknown |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Bicolor Goatfish Physical Characteristics
Size: 7.9 inches (20.0 centimeters)
Bicolor Goatfish grows up to a maximum length of 11.8 inches (30.0 centimeters), but it’s more common to see it around 7.9 inches (20.0 centimeters) long.
This fish has 8 dorsal spines and 9 dorsal soft rays on top of its body, while only 1 anal spine and 7 anal soft rays are below.
Bicolor Goatfish has specific features that distinguish it from other fish species. It usually has 15 or 16 pectoral rays on the side fins and a total of 28 to 32 gill rakers.
The body shape is moderately elongated with the depth being about one-third of its total length. The head is somewhat shorter than the body.
The snout takes up about half of the head’s length, while the barbels (whisker-like structures) are around half as long as the head.
The coloration of this fish includes a reddish-black front half and a white-yellow back half with a black spot near the base of its second dorsal fin. There are blue spots following this black spot.
There is also a white stripe running from the snout above the eye along with another stripe from the corner of its mouth above its pectoral fin.
The tail fin is light yellow with a dark border at the bottom edge and sometimes has a small red spot in its center area. Lastly, the barbels are red in color.
Bicolor Goatfish Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Mullidae |
| Genus: | Parupeneus |
| Scientific Name: | Parupeneus barberinoides |
| Also Known As: | Bicolor Goatfish |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |