There are some fish that are really photogenic and look lackluster in real life, and other species that look unremarkable in images but really grab your attention in the flesh; the flathead perch falls squarely in the latter category, with a whole lot more stage presence and personality than you could imagine. When we visited LiveAquaria about a month ago, we had the sincere privilege of spending some time observing this wonderful pair of very personable Rainfordia. It became clear to us why this fish was worthy of so much attention, not only for its size and appearance but also for its wonderful behavior.
There is is something about the flathead perch which makes it greater than the sum of its attributes. We can’t tell wether it’s their large size, brilliant coloration, big eyes or funky face that makes Rainfordia stand out but one thing’s for certain, the flathead perch has a helluva lot more personality than any Liopropoma we’ve ever encountered.
Kevin’s pair of flathead perches are large, inquisitive and they give a unique sense like there’s some awareness behind those big bulgy eyes – it’s like the difference between interacting with a parakeet and an African gray parrot, the parakeet is kinda like a toy but you can tell there’s “somebody home” inside the brain of an African gray. We’re not saying that a Rainfordia is as smart as a four year old, just that they interact with people outside the aquarium in a very intelligent way.
Check out this cool pair of Rainfordia opercularis peering out of the tank, hunting down ghost shrimp and interacting with each other, normally we wouldn’t release such a long video but the flathead perch is too cool.
