Prickly Leather-jacket Chaetodermis penicilligerus

The Prickly Leather-jacket is a Filefish native to tropical areas of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.

This elaborate-looking fish has its own genus. Its tassels are for camouflage. Like other filefish, it can erect its dorsal spine to look menacing. It grows to 31cm long.

Its a solitary fish. When breeding, the female lays a clutch of eggs and the male guards them until they hatch. Diet is small invertebrates and algae.