Tassle filefish, Chaetodermis penicilligerus

The tassle filefish is a ray-finned fish known by several other names due to its appendages and projections on its body. It is known as the leafy filefish, tasselled leatherjacket, and the prickly leatherjacket because of its dermal appendages and its sandpapery skin. These features are useful for camouflaging to avoid predators. It is the most peculiar-looking fish that is found in the marine waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Within these waters, it inhabits sandy bottoms, weeds, reefs, and corals in the neritic zone up to depths of 147 ft (45 m). The tassle filefish lives for close to five years and feeds mainly on algae and invertebrates. Because of its striking appearance adorned with dark horizontal stripes and peaceful demeanor, the tassle filefish makes for a popular domestic fish. It is often found in public aquariums and personal fish tanks. It is not a reef-safe fish, but it is not known to bother fish tank mates.