By Scott W. Michael
Members of the genus Parapercis can be found in stores as dragonets, gobies, blennies and even “sand hoppers” (a term usually reserved for a group of beach-dwelling crustaceans). They certainly do seem to occupy a similar niche as the first three groups of bottom-dwelling fish, which spend their time on the sea floor, propping themselves up on their pelvic fins. They also have a pointed snout like a dragonet and a long dorsal fin like certain blennies. To make matters more confusing, if you look this genus up in field guides, these fishes may be referred to as grubfish, weevers or whitings. But what are they really, how do they behave, and what is required to keep them healthy in a home aquarium?
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