TankBud

Leaf scorpionfish

Taenianotus triacanthus

Also known as Leaf fish, Paper fish, Paperfish, Sailfin leaf fish

SaltwaterFish

Leaf scorpionfish (Taenianotus triacanthus)
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.0–8.4
Adult size
5.1 in
13 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Scorpaenidae
Origin
Native to the Indo-Pacific, living on coral reefs and rubble where it sways among growth to mimic a drifting leaf.

Overview

The leaf scorpionfish is a small, delicate ambush predator that does best in a tank of its own. It is a specialist for experienced keepers.

Did you know

The leaf scorpionfish sheds its whole outer skin every one to two weeks, which is unusual among scorpionfish. It peels the skin off like a sock, clearing away the algae and parasites that would give away its leaf disguise.

Caring for the leaf scorpionfish

Give the leaf scorpionfish a small tank of its own, at least 29 gal (110 L), with gentle flow and rock perches. It spends most of its time on the bottom. Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 8.0 to 8.4.

Feeding is the hard part, since it usually demands live saltwater shrimp or small feeder fish. Train it slowly to take thawed food, wobbled past it on a stick. It will not compete for food, so never let it share a tank with fast eaters.

The leaf scorpionfish is mostly peaceful and ignores corals, but it eats small fish and shrimp. Keep no bite-sized tank mates with it, and treat it as reef safe only with caution.

Good to know

The leaf scorpionfish, Taenianotus triacanthus, belongs to the scorpionfish family Scorpaenidae. Its flattened body and tall, sail-like dorsal fin are shaped and colored to look like a dead leaf or a piece of algae. It comes in white, yellow, pink, red, green or brown. Its dorsal spines carry a mild venom, used for defense.

In the wild

The leaf scorpionfish is native to the Indo-Pacific, where it lives on coral reefs and rubble. It stays put on a perch and waits for prey to wander close. As it waits, it rocks gently back and forth like a leaf drifting in the surge, which both hides it and lures curious prey.

Common questions

What size tank does a leaf scorpionfish need?

A leaf scorpionfish needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a leaf scorpionfish need?

A leaf scorpionfish is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.0–8.4.

What does a leaf scorpionfish eat?

A leaf scorpionfish usually demands live saltwater shrimp or small feeder fish. With slow training, it can learn to take thawed food wobbled past it on a stick.

How big does a leaf scorpionfish get?

An adult leaf scorpionfish reaches about 5.1 in (13 cm).

Related species