Coral hogfish (Bodianus mesothorax) care guide

Group
Marine fish
Other names
Split-level hogfish, Blackbelt hogfish, Eclipse hogfish, Eclipse pigfish, Mesothorax hogfish, Yellow-spotted hogfish
Family
Labridae (wrasses)
Origin
Eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific, Nicobar Islands to Japan, Fiji and Australia; reefs at 5–40 m. Most imports come from the Philippines and Indonesia.
Water
saltwater
Maximum size
20 cm
Temperature
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
Salinity SG 1.023–1.026
Minimum tank
300 litres
Care level
intermediate
Temperament
semi_aggressive
Reef safe
no

Care

A hardy, active wrasse for a fish-only or fish-with-rock tank. Provide plenty of swimming room plus caves and overhangs to retreat into; the 300-litre minimum is our estimate from its adult size and active habits. Use a tight lid, as wrasses can jump. Water figures given here are general marine aquarium guidance, not species-specific: 24–27 °C, pH 8.1–8.4 and salinity SG 1.023–1.026, with stable, well-oxygenated water. Juveniles live in reef caves and are dark with yellow spots; they change to the adult pattern of a dark rear half, split by a sharp line from the paler front, at about 5–6 cm over a few weeks. Adults act as cleaners on the reef. Sexes are not easily told apart. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern. It is regularly seen in the aquarium trade. Sources: Wikipedia, List of marine aquarium fish species (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listofmarineaquariumfishspecies); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodianusmesothorax). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A carnivore. In the aquarium offer a varied meaty diet of frozen mysis, krill, chopped shellfish and good-quality marine pellets two or three times a day. Adults also pick parasites off other fish in the wild.

Breeding

Not bred in home aquaria. Like other hogfish it is thought to begin life as a female and later change to male, spawning in open water with floating eggs.

Compatibility and tank mates

Not reef safe: like other hogfish it eats shrimps, crabs, snails, small clams and other invertebrates. Mix with robust fish of similar size such as angelfish, tangs and larger wrasses. Avoid very small fish it could swallow and other hogfish unless the tank is large.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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