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| fishes text index | photo index |
| Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes |
| Perchlets Family Chandidae updated Feb 11
Where seen? Groups of these silvery fishes are frequently encountered in pools at low tide on many of our shores. Elsewhere, they are found in mangroves, estuaries and fresh water. They form groups during the day among mangrove roots and submerged plants. They disperse at night to feed. What are perchlets? Perchlets belong to Family Chandidae (some place them in the Family Ambassidae). According to FishBase: The family has 8 genera and 41 species. They are found in Asia and Oceania and the Indo-west Pacific oceans. Features: To about 10cm. Body nearly transparent covered with thin scales. Thus it is sometimes called the Glassfish. Mouth is upturned with a projecting jaw and large eyes. A single dorsal fin, deeply notched before the last spine. These fishes are often seen in small groups. Sometimes confused with Mojarras or Silver-biddies (Family Gerreidae) which have a single dorsal fin that is not deeply notched. |
The fish is almost transparent, like glass. Look carefully.
| What
do they eat? They eat tiny crustaceans such as ostracods
and copepods, insects and sometimes fishes. Human uses: Perchlets are eaten in some places and sold fresh or salted. They are also used as bait. Status and threats: Our perchlets are not listed among the threatened animals of Singapore. However, like other creatures of the intertidal zone, they are affected by human activities such as reclamation and pollution. Over fishing can also have an impact on local populations. |
| Family
Chandidae recorded for Singapore Some classify them as Family Ambassidae from Wee Y.C. and Peter K. L. Ng. 1994. A First Look at Biodiversity in Singapore. *from Lim, Kelvin K. P. & Jeffrey K. Y. Low, 1998. A Guide to the Common Marine Fishes of Singapore.
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Links
References
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Periplus Editions. 292 pp.|
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