Facts
| Latin name | Haemulon sciurus |
| Common name | Bluestriped grunt |
| Family | Haemulidae - Haemulon |
| Origin | The Mexican Golf, West Atlantic |
| Max length | 46 cm (18.1") |
As aquarium fish
Food
| Maybee |
|
| Recommended |
|
Can be a threat to small fish
This spicies might be a threat to smaller fishes.
Demand a very large aquarium when fully grown
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.
Can be a threat to many invertebrates
This species eats shrimps, crayfish, crabs, small bivalves, sea urchins, snails and similar.
Grows fast
This species grows very quickly if fed well.
Frequent feeding
This fish requires feeding several times a day, especially when newly added.
When the fish can find its natural food in the aquarium it requires less frequent feeding.
Heavy load
This species eats a great deal and demands an aquarium that can tolerate such a heavy load.
Requires a varied diet
This species must be fed with an appropriately varied diet.
Requires plenty of space for swimming.
This species revels in swimming and requires an aquarium with ample space.
Hiding places
This species needs good hiding places, for example, between live rocks.
Singly or in a group
This fish can live on their own or in a group.
Family description (Haemulidae)
Fish within in the Grunt family do not often appear in private aquaria, but can be kept in a very large tank under proper conditions. They are predatory fish and mostly live off benthic crustaceans, worms and fish.
There can be a big difference in appearance when the fish is young and fully grown.
This family can divided into two groups: Plectorhinchinae (Sweetlips) and Haemulinae (Grunts).
Aquarists normally find Sweetlips to be the best looking, but they can be difficult to feed and it can be problematic giving them food containing enough nutrition. Grunts are more hardy and quicker to start feeding in aquaria.
It can be a good idea to have live food, Mysis or small live freshwater shrimp, in case these fish don't begin to feed.
One should not acquire these fish with the intention of selling them on when they get bigger. This is, not only because they grow quickly if fed correctly, but also because they are difficult to sell on to domestic buyers.
Sweetlips include the genera of Diagramma and Plectorhinchus.
Grunts include the genera of Anisotremus and Haemulon.
References and further reading
Bob Fenner. Grunts, Porkfish (Excluding Sweetlips), Family Haemulidae - Wet Web Media - (English)
Scott W. Michael. 2004. Angelfishes and Butterflyfishes (Reef Fishes Series Book 3)
Bob Fenner. Indonesian Grunts & Sweetlips, Family Haemulidae - Wet Web Media - (English)
WWM Crew. FAQs on Grunts, Sweetlips, Family Haemulidae - Wet Web Media - (English)
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2014. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (08/2014).
Tags
| eats fish, shoal group, eats shrimp, eats crab, eats bivalve clams mussels scallops, eats snails, eats sea urchin |
