Common name: Green wrasse
General information
The Blackspot Tuskfish, Choerodon schoenleinii, is a striking species known for its robust body and distinctive coloration. It has a powerful set of pharyngeal teeth which are used to crush hard-shelled prey. This species is not as common in the aquarium trade as other wrasses, primarily due to its large adult size and specific care requirements.
Details
- Recommended minimum tank volume
- 500 liter (130 gallons)
- Salinity
- S.G. 1.020 to 1.025
- Temperature
- 22 to 26 °C (72 to 79 °F)
- Acidity
- pH 8 to 8.4
- Average size
- 70 cm (2′4″)
- Care level
- Moderate to difficult Needs varied diet and space
- Diet
- Carnivore Prefers meaty foods, live feed
- Social
- Solo Territorial, best kept alone
- Reefsafe
- No May nip at corals/inverts
- Aggression
- Aggresive Aggressive, especially to conspecifics
- Captive bred
- No
Taxonomy
- KingdomAnimalsAnimalia
- PhylumChordatesChordata
- ClassRay-finned FishesActinopterygii
- OrderPerciformesPerciformes
- FamilyWrassesLabridae
- GenusTuskfishChoerodon
- SpeciesGreen wrasseChoerodon schoenleinii (Valenciennes, 1839)
- SynonymsChaerodon schoenleini (Valenciennes, 1839)Chaerops notatus Alleyne & Macleay, 1877Choerodon cyanostolus (Richardson, 1846)Choerodon quadrifasciatus Yu, 1968Choerodon rubidus Scott, 1959Choerodon shoenleinii (Valenciennes, 1839)Choerops notatus Alleyne & Macleay, 1877Choerops nyctemblema Jordan & Evermann, 1902Choerops ommopterus (Richardson, 1846)Choerops unimaculatus Cartier, 1874Cossyphus cyanostolus Richardson, 1846Cossyphus ommopterus Richardson, 1846Cossyphus schoenleinii Valenciennes, 1839Torresia australis Castelnau, 1875Torresia lineata De Vis, 1885
Care
Blackspot Tuskfish require a large aquarium with plenty of swimming space and a thick sand bed for foraging. They are not reef-safe as they will prey on invertebrates and small fish. A varied diet of meaty foods, including mollusks and crustaceans, is essential for their well-being.
Reproduction
In the wild, Blackspot Tuskfish are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning they start life as females and can change to males as they mature. Breeding in captivity is rare and not well-documented.
Habitat
This species is found in the Indo-Pacific region, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the central Pacific. They inhabit coral reefs and sandy areas adjacent to reefs, often seen at depths ranging from shallow waters to about 30 meters.