Orbicular Batfish (Platax orbicularis)

You may have observed some new inhabitants in our mermaid aquarium. These still small schooling fish are commonly called batfish. They look similar to the Atlantic Spadefish but these batfish naturally occur in the Indo-Pacific: The Red Sea and East Africa - from southern Japan to northern Australia. They have been found off the coast of Florida but are not native to the region and are found here due to improper introduction.

Juveniles occur in small groups among mangroves and inner sheltered lagoons while adults move out to open waters over sandy areas of seaward reefs to a depth of 100 feet. Their favorite foods include invertebrates, small fishes and various algae.