Common Names: Target fish, Tiger Perch, Tigerfish, Zebra Fish, or Crescent Perch.
Scientific Name: Terapon jarbua; previously known as Therapon jarbua
Family: Terapontidae
Origins: Various Indo-Pacific regions, ranging from the Red Sea to the Eastern African coast (and African inlands), South East Asia to China to Southern Japan, and even as far south as Australia.
Habitats: Inhabits freshwater, brackish water, and saltwater. They are most often found in sandy, shallow, brackish mangrove swamps or mouths of rivers. Despite being primarily found in shallow waters, some reports show they have been discovered in depths in excess of 850 feet! They are also commonly found in grassy lagoons and even various oceans and seas.
Maximum Size: Grows up to 16 inches in the wild, but usually only attains a length of 5-6 inches in captivity, but can grow slightly larger.
Care: These are a schooling fish, so at least 4 specimens are needed to feel comfortable. If kept singly they can become quite aggressive. Provide at least a 55 US gallon aquarium for a school. Substrate should be sand (Doesnt really matter as to whether it's coarse or fine, just about any sand will be OK).
These are predatory fish, so housing Terapon jarbua with fish under 3 inches will most likely lead to their ingestion. Terapon jarbua will accept just about any water condition (except soft/acidic water) at any stage of its life. Therefore, it can be housed in hard alkaline freshwater, brackish water, or saltwater. Most Target fish are purchased at 1 or 2 inches. At this small stage in their life they should ideally be kept in hard and alkaline freshwater but like I have said will tolerate even saltwater as a juvenile. As the fish matures the school should be ideally be placed in a brackish tank of any salinity, or even saltwater but again will even do well in freshwater. Many Terapon jarbua owners keep them in brackish water with a SG around 1.010 for life and do absolutely fine.
Water flow is not important as long as extremes are avoided. Temperature is also not vitally important but ideally around 80 degrees. Although Terapon jarbua does inhabit quite shallow waters, the depth should be at least 12 inches if placed in a mangrove aquarium.
Feeding: Terapon jarbua is an omnivorous, predatory, bottom feeder. They are big eaters, needing frequent feedings. Make sure the food you are feeding can sink. They are far from picky, even accepting flake. The majority of their diet consists of fish and crustaceans. Use other meaty foods such as tubifex, krill, bloodworms, mysis shrimp, insects, and other similar foods. Supplement their diet with algae based foods such as Spirulina or algae wafers. Cichlid pellets and other similar foods make a good addition too. Live foods are relished (espically small fish and shrimp) but be sure if live foods are fed that they are disease free.
Breeding: Spawning occurs in saltwater. Juveniles swim to freshwater tidal pools and rivers.
Comments: Target fish display a silvery sometimes white coloration with attractive black markings. There is a large black spot of the dorsal fin surrounded by 3 circular black rings. This pattern forms a "bulls-eye" pattern, hence the name "Target Fish". They are a rare and expensive fish in the aquarium hobby despite being commonly found on 3 continents. Makes a perfect fish for a mangrove tank.
Will post a better picture when available.
Scientific Name: Terapon jarbua; previously known as Therapon jarbua
Family: Terapontidae
Origins: Various Indo-Pacific regions, ranging from the Red Sea to the Eastern African coast (and African inlands), South East Asia to China to Southern Japan, and even as far south as Australia.
Habitats: Inhabits freshwater, brackish water, and saltwater. They are most often found in sandy, shallow, brackish mangrove swamps or mouths of rivers. Despite being primarily found in shallow waters, some reports show they have been discovered in depths in excess of 850 feet! They are also commonly found in grassy lagoons and even various oceans and seas.
Maximum Size: Grows up to 16 inches in the wild, but usually only attains a length of 5-6 inches in captivity, but can grow slightly larger.
Care: These are a schooling fish, so at least 4 specimens are needed to feel comfortable. If kept singly they can become quite aggressive. Provide at least a 55 US gallon aquarium for a school. Substrate should be sand (Doesnt really matter as to whether it's coarse or fine, just about any sand will be OK).
These are predatory fish, so housing Terapon jarbua with fish under 3 inches will most likely lead to their ingestion. Terapon jarbua will accept just about any water condition (except soft/acidic water) at any stage of its life. Therefore, it can be housed in hard alkaline freshwater, brackish water, or saltwater. Most Target fish are purchased at 1 or 2 inches. At this small stage in their life they should ideally be kept in hard and alkaline freshwater but like I have said will tolerate even saltwater as a juvenile. As the fish matures the school should be ideally be placed in a brackish tank of any salinity, or even saltwater but again will even do well in freshwater. Many Terapon jarbua owners keep them in brackish water with a SG around 1.010 for life and do absolutely fine.
Water flow is not important as long as extremes are avoided. Temperature is also not vitally important but ideally around 80 degrees. Although Terapon jarbua does inhabit quite shallow waters, the depth should be at least 12 inches if placed in a mangrove aquarium.
Feeding: Terapon jarbua is an omnivorous, predatory, bottom feeder. They are big eaters, needing frequent feedings. Make sure the food you are feeding can sink. They are far from picky, even accepting flake. The majority of their diet consists of fish and crustaceans. Use other meaty foods such as tubifex, krill, bloodworms, mysis shrimp, insects, and other similar foods. Supplement their diet with algae based foods such as Spirulina or algae wafers. Cichlid pellets and other similar foods make a good addition too. Live foods are relished (espically small fish and shrimp) but be sure if live foods are fed that they are disease free.
Breeding: Spawning occurs in saltwater. Juveniles swim to freshwater tidal pools and rivers.
Comments: Target fish display a silvery sometimes white coloration with attractive black markings. There is a large black spot of the dorsal fin surrounded by 3 circular black rings. This pattern forms a "bulls-eye" pattern, hence the name "Target Fish". They are a rare and expensive fish in the aquarium hobby despite being commonly found on 3 continents. Makes a perfect fish for a mangrove tank.
Will post a better picture when available.
