Silver Moony (Monodactylus argenteus)
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| A juvenile Silver Moony found in a pontoon. (Photography by: Lumin Ong) |
Family: Monodactylidae
Species Name: Monodactylus argenteus
Common Name(s): Silver Moony, Diamondfish, Mono
Species Name: Monodactylus argenteus
Common Name(s): Silver Moony, Diamondfish, Mono
Presence in Singapore: Native
Habitat: Coastal such as mangrove estuaries, tidal rivers and shallow reefs. Occasionally seen in lower freshwater stretches.
Conservation status: Near Threatened (Red Data Book 3)
Habitat: Coastal such as mangrove estuaries, tidal rivers and shallow reefs. Occasionally seen in lower freshwater stretches.
Conservation status: Near Threatened (Red Data Book 3)
The Silver Moony is a popular fish in the aquarium trade, especially for brackish aquariums but however, it is often advertised as a purely freshwater fish which isn't true. Being a euryhaline fish, the Silver Moony is relatively common in our coastal habitats ranging from brackish mangrove swamps to saltwater ones such as along seawalls, and in shallow reefs.
Adult Silver Moonies can reach a maximum known length of 27cm but are usually half that size. Juveniles are more common in the upper reaches of their habitats while adults stay more at the coast. This is a unique-looking fish, being shaped like a diamond as its common name suggests with yellow fins standing out along its silver body. Very young juveniles are dark with orange fins.
Adult Silver Moonies can reach a maximum known length of 27cm but are usually half that size. Juveniles are more common in the upper reaches of their habitats while adults stay more at the coast. This is a unique-looking fish, being shaped like a diamond as its common name suggests with yellow fins standing out along its silver body. Very young juveniles are dark with orange fins.
They are known to form large schools but juveniles are usually solitary or found with a few other individuals. This fish is omnivorous, feeding on plankton, detritus and other small mid-water edibles. Interestingly, the juveniles are known to approach similar-sized and larger fishes in an attempt to "clean" them but are often met with annoyance.
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| A trio of very young Silver moonies. |
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| A juvenile Silver Moony attempting to "clean" a Mangrove Cardinalfish. |
References
- FishBase. Monodactylus argenteus (Linnaeus, 1758) – Silver Moony. Retrieved from https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Monodactylus-argenteus.
- Lim, K.K.P. & Low, J.K.Y. 1998. A Guide to Common Marine Fishes of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre, 163 pp. ISBN 981-00-9904-5.
- National Parks Board (NParks). Marine Fishes. Retrieved from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/nature/species-list/marine-fishes.
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