Pygmy Red Rooster Waspfish Scorpionfish – Philippines

Paracentropogon zonatus

The Red Pygmy Rooster Waspfish is known for its venomous spines on their dorsal and pectoral fins, requiring care when placing your hands in the aquarium. They prefer established aquariums with plenty of rock work arranged to create caves and crevices for resting, along with a rocky bottom. They are not considered reef-safe and should be added to a fish-only aquarium. As voracious predators, they will hunt for food. Their diet should be varied and include meaty foods such as shrimp, clams, scallops, and krill. When first acclimating to a home aquarium, they may need live foods to entice them to eat. They have an adult size of 2 inches, making them ideal for smaller aquariums. Red Pygmy Rooster Waspfish are primarily mottled red with a white face but can easily blend into their environment. They are found in the Western Central Pacific Ocean, inhabiting rocky bottoms and coral reef cracks and crevices up to 120 feet deep.