Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Labracinus

Labracinus cyclophthalmus

(Muller & Troschel, 1849)

Fire-tail Devil Dottyback, Red Dottyback

Not Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Southern Japan south to Papua New Guinea and further south to northwest Australia.

Size: 8 inches (20 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits tidepools and holes and crevices with moderate surge currents in shallow rocky and coral reefs and is usually found between depths of 6 to 65 feet (2 – 20 m) where it feeds on smaller fishes.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade, having a dark reddish body with several pale vertical bars on the mid-body, and usually a bright red tail.

Best maintained in fish-only aquariums having some rocky hiding places/crevices to take shelter, as this species is somewhat secretive and very aggressive. Cannot be trusted with anything less dominating than ‘large’ eels, angelfishes, surgeonfishes, groupers, squirrelfishes, snappers, triggerfishes and rabbitfishes.

As to diet, products such as marine fish and crustacean flesh, clams, and other marine meaty foods should make up the majority of their diet. Therefore a meaty diet such as enriched chopped fresh fish or shrimp flesh, and/or frozen carnivore foods should be fed once daily.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Perciformes

    Suborder: Percoidei

    Family: Pseudochromidae

    Subfamily: Pseudochrominae

    Genus: Labracinus

FYI: Has been captive bred.

Give much thought to this species before placing it in your aquarium.

    Experience Level: Intermediate/Professional

    Temperament: Aggressive

    Diet: Carnivore

    Coral Safe: Yes

    Fish Safe: With caution

    Invertebrate Safe: With caution

    Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

    Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium

    Tankmates: Moderately aggressive/aggressive

    Minimum Tank Size: 75+ gallons

    Temperature Range: 72 - 81°F (22 – 27°C)

    Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

    pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Labracinus cyclophthalmus (Fire-tail Devil Dottyback, Red Dottyback)
Photo © John Randall
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