Nemipterids are carnivorous bottom-living fishes feeding mainly on other small fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and polychaetes. They can be solitary or schooling and do not appear to be territorial.
Worldwide, there are 5 genera and about 66 species. The 5 genera are Nemipterus (Threadfin Breams), Parascolopsis (Dwarf Monocle Breams), Pentapodus (Whiptails), Scaevius (Coral Breams) and Scolopsis (Monocle Breams).
Monocle Breams or Scolopsis are distinguished by the a large backwardly pointing spine and a series of smaller spines at the suborbital beneath the eye. There are approximately 13 species of Monocle Breams found in Malaysia.