Assessors/Comets/Roundheads/Longfins

Critter Spotlight: Assessor flavissimus

Photo Credit: Bob Fenner

These fishes belong in the Order Perciformes and Suborder Percoidei as members of the Family Plesiopidae (Roundheads or Longfins) which contains two subfamilies, eleven genera, and a total of 30 species.

The subfamily Plesiopinae (roundheads or longfins) contains the following genera of interest.

Assessors

These members are shy, retiring, and mouthbrooders, and should be kept in an aquarium with numerous hiding places. Do not keep with fishes or crustaceans small enough to be eaten.

Calloplesiops

They spend their daylight hours in caves with only their tail possibly protruding outward. Their tail contains a false eyespot and gives the fish a moray eel appearance, which discourages predators. They require a calm environment, are not aggressive feeders, and feed on small live fishes or shrimp. Do not keep them with fishes small enough to be eaten.

Assessors

• Assessor flavissimus (Golden Mini-Grouper/Yellow/Forktail Assessor)
• Assessor macneilli (MacNeill's mini-grouper/Blue Assessor)
• Assessor randalli (Coral Assessor)

Calloplesiops

• Calloplesiops altivelis (Comet/Marine Beta)
• Calloplesiops argus (Argus Marine Beta)