All fish / Haemulidae

Oriental Sweetlips

Plectorhinchus vittatus

Also known as oriental sweetlips, indian ocean oriental sweetlips, plectorhinchus orientalis, striped sweetlips, sweetlips, チョウチョウコショウダイ, 东方胡椒鲷, 条纹胡椒鲷

Juveniles are black with large white blotches and swim with a striking wriggling motion, while adults turn white with bold black horizontal stripes and bright yellow fins and lips. It is kept for this dramatic colour change and its calm nature in large fish-only or reef systems.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

45 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

1500 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a small group in a very large system

Diet

Carnivore: mussel, shrimp, squid, krill and mysis, with sinking pellets once weaned

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: East Africa and Red Sea to Samoa, north to Japan, south to Australia

Breeding

It spawns in open water and has pelagic eggs and larvae. It has not been bred in home aquariums, so all fish sold are wild caught.

Good to know

Small juveniles often refuse food and ship poorly, and adults grow large enough to need a very big tank; they will eat small shrimp and fish. The scientific name Plectorhinchus orientalis is an old synonym of P. vittatus.