The Painted Sweetlips Plectorhinchus pictus is a marine fish that will grow quite large, up to 33”, so hobbyists should be up for the elevated care it requires, including a large aquarium and keeping it fed. Because of its color and pattern containing both stripes and dots, it is also known as the Dotted Sweetlips or Black and White Sweetlips. Sporting a blue-gray body, it has darker blue stripes that run horizontally across its body. Accents of yellow appear on its head and fins. The anal, caudal, and soft pectoral fins are yellow with dark markings spotted throughout.

The Painted Sweetlips does best when acclimated while small and will stay in darkened areas until it feels comfortable and safe. It is a nighttime bottom feeder and poses a threat to small fish and inverts and will disrupt the sand substrate in search of food. Hobbyists should provide hiding places in live rock or décor, and plenty of space for swimming, given its large size.

This member of the family requires several daily feedings of meaty foods such as crustaceans, as well as krill, zooplankton, and Mysis and brine shrimp.

Approximate shipping size: 2 1/3” to 2 3/4”