"candy" hogfish

[e.muehlbauer]

Saw a cute little wrasse at H2O yesterday...about an inch long, yellow with horizontal red stripes. I was told it was a "candy" hogfish....needless to say, I didn't get it, not trusting any wrasse labelled a hogfish. After looking it up at home (its actually a different fish, a 2 spot hogfish, although candy hogfish is a name it shares with another wrasse), I read conflicting descriptions...although the smallest hogfish at no more than 4", it was said to be not at all reef-safe on one site, and definitely reef safe on another, in fact recommended for reefs...any experience here? There were other interesting fish...I'll post seaprately. Thanks, Eric

 

[meschaefer]

I have one. It is agressive and territorial, and will attack/eat ornamental shrimp. Has never bothered SPS or Zoas in my tank.

 

[jhale]

"reef safe" can mean different things for everyone.
I have no shrimp so for me hogfish would be "reefsafe"

 

[marrone]

Like many fish it can and does go under a couple of different names. It can get to be pretty large and 4" or so sound about right. You can usually find some smaller ones, about 2" or so, which FishTown usually has.

Ok about them being reef safe, first they would touch corals but they will attack shrimps, especially if you have a large size one. They're very active and always looking for food, so they will eat pods and possibly snails.

I have a larger one, about 4", and it has eaten any shrimp I've place in the tank. It hasn't gone after any other fish that I have and has left alone the snails and blue leg hermits.

 

[meschaefer]

Like many fish it can and does go under a couple of different names. It can get to be pretty large and 4" or so sound about right. You can usually find some smaller ones, about 2" or so, which FishTown usually has.

Ok about them being reef safe, first they would touch corals but they will attack shrimps, especially if you have a large size one. They're very active and always looking for food, so they will eat pods and possibly snails.

I have a larger one, about 4", and it has eaten any shrimp I've place in the tank. It hasn't gone after any other fish that I have and has left alone the snails and blue leg hermits.

I have been unable to introduce any more fish to my tank. (it has killed off...5 chromis, two queen anthias, three firefish), but it has not bothered any of the pre existing fish. This fish will be permanantly removed from my tank when I break it down.

 

[marrone]

I can see it attacking Fire fish, any aggressive fish will as they're easy targets. I'm surprised about the Chromis as damsels are pretty tough, even Chromis. Well it has established its territory and you'll probably have to either take it out for awhile, to give the new fish some time to settle in, or get a fish that can compete with it and not be so easily attacked.

 

[marrone]

Oh by the way mine eat Flat worms. After siphoning out what I could it eat what was left.

 

[meschaefer]

I can see it attacking Fire fish, any aggressive fish will as they're easy targets. I'm surprised about the Chromis as damsels are pretty tough, even Chromis. Well it has established its territory and you'll probably have to either take it out for awhile, to give the new fish some time to settle in, or get a fish that can compete with it and not be so easily attacked.

The plan is to remove it, but it may get to stay with the upgrade (to 180gallons) as it will be the little guy on the block.