Fish WikiAll fish / Lutjanidae
Emperor Red Snapper
Lutjanus sebae
Also known as emperor snapper, red emperor, red emperor snapper, emperor red snapper, government bream, red emperor fish, sebae snapper, ปลากะพงแดงสั้นหางปาน, ปลากะพงจักรพรรดิ, ikan merah, jenahak merah, センネンダイ
Juveniles are white with three bold red bands that slant across the body, while adults turn an even pinkish red. People buy the striking young fish, but it is really only suited to public aquariums or huge home systems.
Care at a glance
- Care level
- Moderate
- Temperament
- Semi
- Adult size
- 60 cm
- Temperature
- 24 to 28 °C
- pH
- 8.1 to 8.4
- Smallest tank
- 2000 litres
- Keep as
- Singly, or a small group in a very large system
- Diet
- Carnivore: fish, shrimp, squid, mussel and other meaty seafood, plus quality pellets
- Swims
- Middle of the tank
- Lifespan
- 20 to 35 years
- Water
- Marine (saltwater)
- Wild range
- Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa and the Red Sea to Japan, Australia and New Caledonia
Breeding
It is an open-water egg scatterer that spawns in groups over reefs. It has not been bred in home aquariums, although it is farmed in some parts of Asia.
Good to know
The small banded juveniles grow quickly to 60 cm or more (up to about 1 m in the wild) and will eat any fish or invertebrate that fits in their mouth. It can live for decades, so plan for a very large tank before buying.