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Scissortail Dartfish
Dartfish

Scissortail Dartfish

Ptereleotris evides

An open-water dartfish, pale grey-blue at the front and shading to dark blue-black at the rear, with tall fins it flicks constantly while hovering into the current. It sits in the middle of the tank picking plankton rather than sitting on the rock, so it wants open swimming space plus one rock crevice it can bolt into — that crevice is what makes it settle and stop hiding. It is peaceful with everything and reef-safe. The single thing that kills them in home tanks is jumping: they leave through very small gaps, usually at night, so a sealed lid or full mesh screen is required. Also sold as the Blackfin Dartfish — WoRMS gives that name to this species, not to the Blacktail Dartfish.

Temperament
Peaceful
Max size
5.5"
Min tank
30 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Planktivore
Zone
Mid-water, Open water, Rockwork
Keep one or a bonded pair.
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Tankmates

How Scissortail Dartfish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Purple TangPurple Tang (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Scissortail Dartfish and may harass it.Coral HawkfishAggressive hawkfish are ambush predators on small slender fish and are named as tankmates to avoid for dartfish; a coral hawkfish may harass or eat a dartfish.Purple DottybackPurple dottybacks are aggressive toward small timid fish and specifically harass dartfish and firefish; documented cases include biting fins off firefish, and a peaceful dartfish fares no better.Midas BlennyThe Midas blenny singles out slender, timid, similarly shaped fish, and dartfish are the classic target. A harassed dartfish stops feeding and is far more likely to jump.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Scissortail Dartfish and may harass it.Fourline WrasseDartfish are named among the families that fall prey to harassment from Pseudocheilinus wrasses in anything under a large, long tank.Royal DottybackThe aggressive royal (Pictichromis) dottyback harasses small timid fish including dartfish; introduce dartfish first and well-established, and even then friction is likely.Fiji Blue Devil DamselFiji blue devil damsels are intensely aggressive and must not be kept with docile fish; a peaceful dartfish is relentlessly chased and prevented from feeding.Domino DamselDomino damsels turn intensely territorial as they grow and single-handedly terrorize community tanks; a timid, jumpy dartfish is exactly the kind of small peaceful fish they harass into hiding/starvation.Neon Velvet DamselThe neon velvet damsel becomes very aggressive as it matures and must be housed with robust tankmates; a peaceful dartfish is harassed and outcompeted.Arc-Eye HawkfishThe arc-eye hawkfish is a predatory carnivore that eats small fish and turns territorial toward new additions; a small dartfish is at risk of harassment and predation.Marine BettaThe marine betta is a nocturnal ambush predator with a highly elastic mouth that inhales small slender fish; small dartfish are explicitly listed as at-risk prey.Dragon WrasseThe dragon wrasse grows large and semi-aggressive and preys on small slender fish; peaceful dartfish are too timid to share a tank with it.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Scissortail Dartfish.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Scissortail Dartfish.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Scissortail Dartfish.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Scissortail Dartfish.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Scissortail Dartfish and may harass it.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Scissortail Dartfish and may harass it.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Scissortail Dartfish and may harass it.