Marine ich
Watch for: White spots, scratching, rapid breathing, hiding or reduced appetite.
First response: Confirm in a quarantine setting and seek a marine-safe treatment plan; do not medicate a display reef blindly.
Back to discover
Run compatibility check
Platax pinnatus
Dusky Batfish
saltwater
Bioload 0.8
Expert care
Ephippidae
Your complete care profile
Dusky Batfish (Platax pinnatus) is a saltwater fish associated with Western Pacific, with a recorded adult length of up to 45 cm. This source-backed catalogue profile brings its essential aquarium planning information together on one page.
Temperature
24–27°C
pH range
8.1–8.4
Minimum tank
810 litres
Typical lifespan
12 years
Diet
Omnivore
Origin
Western Pacific
Adult size
Up to 45 cm
Care level
Expert
Care level recorded in the source-backed catalogue profile.
Aquarium context
saltwater system
Present in the aquarium trade
Planning to add Dusky Batfish?
Check it against your aquarium before purchase, then use the complete preparation checklist below.
Check compatibilitySpecies identity
Know the fish
Common name
Dusky Batfish
Scientific name
Platax pinnatus
Family
Ephippidae
Family group
Spadefishes, batfishes and scats
Water type
saltwater
Native range
Western Pacific
Social planning
School
Conservation
Least concern (LC)
Aquarium setup
Build the right system
A mature marine aquarium with stable salinity, strong gas exchange and no detectable ammonia or nitrite. Measure salinity rather than estimating it.
Use 810 litres as the minimum planning baseline before allowing extra space for a group, tank mates, decor and swimming behaviour.
Hold temperature at 24–27°C and pH at 8.1–8.4; stability matters more than chasing a single number.
Design the aquarium around the recorded adult length of 45 cm, not the juvenile size seen at purchase.
Provide retreat areas and visual breaks while preserving enough unobstructed space for normal movement and feeding.
Filtration & waste
High waste load (0.8 index): use generously sized biological and mechanical filtration, strong oxygenation and close test-led maintenance.
Feeding
Omnivore diet
Use a varied omnivore staple with complementary plant and animal ingredients. Feed controlled portions and adjust to body condition and waste production.
Observe
Confirm every fish reaches food and swallows it.
Control
Stop before leftovers can decay in the aquarium.
Review
Track body condition, waste and feeding response over time.
Behaviour & tank mates
Community planning
The source profile identifies this as a schooling species. Plan group housing and enough open swimming space; verify the exact minimum group for the species before purchase.
No simple community match is approved in this profile. Plan species-only housing or obtain a specialist compatibility assessment before adding tank mates.
No pre-approved tank mate is listed. That is a safety signal, not a claim that every pairing will fail.
Health watch
Recognise warning signs early
These are risks to monitor, not diagnoses. Test the aquarium first and seek an aquatic vet or experienced specialist for severe, fast-moving or uncertain symptoms.
Environmental stress
Watch for: Hiding, faded colour, clamped fins, glass surfing, rapid breathing or appetite loss.
First response: Test water, review temperature and tank mates, reduce disturbance and correct problems gradually.
Before bringing one home
Five-point readiness check
The established aquarium is at least 810 litres and matches the required saltwater system.
Temperature and pH overlap the full 24–27°C and 8.1–8.4 ranges.
A suitable omnivore food is available and the seller can demonstrate that the fish is feeding.
Ammonia and nitrite test at zero, acclimation is planned and a quarantine or observation option is ready.
Every proposed tank mate has been screened for adult size, behaviour, feeding competition and water compatibility.
Data & source notes
Transparent, in-app data
IUCN LC
Catalogue source
FishBase · release 26.07
Species record
FishBase SpecCode 5738
Aquarium context
Present in the aquarium trade
Temperature basis
FishSnap tropical-marine planning baseline
pH basis
FishSnap marine planning baseline
Tank basis
FishSnap conservative planning baseline derived from adult size, water type, social ecology and family
Lifespan basis
FishSnap size/family planning estimate
Photo credit
This illustration was made by Citron You must credit this : Citron / CC-BY-SA-3.0 · CC BY-SA 3.0
FishBase remains an editorial reference, but the useful species and care information is interpreted here so you do not have to leave FishSnap. Conservative planning baselines are labelled as guidance, not guarantees.