Bodianus mesothorax
| Latin name | Bodianus mesothorax |
|---|---|
| Local name | Coral Hogfish |
| Family | Labridae - Bodianus |
| Origin | Australia, Indonesia, East Pacific, Central/West Pacific |
| Max length | 25 cm (9.8") |
| Minimum volume |
800 l (211 gal) 
|
|---|---|
| Hardiness |
Hardy
|
| Suitable for aquarium |
Suitable with care
|
| Reef safe |
Reef safe with caution
|
| Aggressiveness | Might be aggressive towards other species |
| Recommended |
Larger crustaceans (Shrimp, crabs...) Other invertebrates Small crustaceans (Krill, mysis, artemia...) |
|---|---|
| Maybee |
Parasites |
These fish will hunt crustaceans, sea urchins and worms in an aquarium, very effectively.
This species needs a very large aquarium when fully grown.
Exactly how big the aquarium should be is hard to say, but the size of this species is such, that it cannot normally be kept in a home aquarium.
This species can be extremely aggressive towards other fish.
Be careful when keeping these fish together with peaceful or docile species. Regular feeding, plenty of hiding places and a lot of space can alleviate aggressive behavior to some degree.
This species has a habit of rearranging rocks and sand.
Make sure rocks are placed securely on the substrate, so they cannot toppled over.
This species needs good hiding places, for example, between live rocks.
This species revels in swimming and requires an aquarium with ample space.
This species can change gender from female to male.
When a male is needed, a female changes sex and takes on the role.
These fish have a more purple/pink nuance with yellow spots, as a young fish
Hogfish (Bodianus) get their name from the way they look for food in the substrate using their snout. They can regularly be seen blowing water down into the sand and in their natural habitat they often follow other fish which have disturbed it.
Hogfish are quite hardy and in time eat all the most common available fish foods. They do however, demand plenty of space to swim and for concealment.
They can hide for long periods of time if kept with more aggressive species. Hogfish can also be aggressive towards more docile species or those that resembles themselves.
When fully grown they can become a threat to various invertebrates, e.g. worms, snails, small bivalves and crustaceans amongst others.
Wrasses are nearly always seen in reef aquaria, since many of the species are both attractive and useful in battling a range of unwanted invertebrates like i.e. flatworms, pyramide snails.
These fish live of everything from zooplankton to large crustaceans, sea urchins and the like.
The needs and behaviour of Wrasses vary greatly, so it is vital to familiarize oneself with the specific species before buying one.
Bob Fenner. The Wrasses We Call Hogfishes - Wet Web Media - (English)
Scott Michael. 2002. Aquarium Fish: The Hogfishes, Family Labridae - Advanced Aquarist - (English)
Scott W. Michael. 2009. Wrasses and Parrotfishes (Reef Fishes Series Book 5) - TFH Publications / Microcosm Ltd. - (English)