Flying Gurnard

Dactyloptena orientalis

The Winged Sand-Walker (16 inches / 40 cm). A bizarre bottom-dweller that walks on the sand using modified fins as 'legs' and opens massive butterfly-like wings when startled.

Family: Dactylopteridae
Origin: Indo-Pacifico
Tank use: Used in 0 tanks

Temperature

24 °C - 28 °C

8.1 - 8.4

Water type

Freshwater

Tank level

Bottom

Adult size

40 cm

Care and observations

The Shredded Wings Tragedy: They are utterly incompatible with standard reef tanks. They need massive, empty sandy bottoms. If kept with live rock, they will constantly bump into things, tear their beautiful wings to shreds on sharp corals, and die of massive bacterial infections.

Fish profile

Tank level: Bottom
Adult size: 40 cm
GH: 15 dGH - 25 dGH
KH: n/a
TDS: n/a
Conductivity: n/a

Image gallery

Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.

Primary

Generated via Deepmind Antigravity AI