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Yellowbanded Sweetlips

(Plectorhinchus lineatus)

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 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Expert   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Maximum Size: 30"
• Minimum Tank Size: 480 gallons   • Water Conditions: 72-80° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
• Diet: Carnivore   • Origin: Fiji, Indonesia, Maldives, Vanuatu, Western Pacific
• Family: Haemulidae   • Species: Grunts   • Aquarium Type: Fish Only

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Native Habitat and Species Information

Yellowbanded Sweetlips native habitat, distribution, behavior & aquarium compatibility.

Yellowbanded Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus lineatus) are found throughout the barrier reefs and island reef slopes of the Western Pacific. Adults are typically found near coral slopes and seaward facing reefs, where they swim just above the reef looking for prey items and avoiding larger open water predators.

Juvenile Yellowbanded Sweetlips live amongst the smaller reef fish species that make their home within the corals and plant life that comprise the coral reef. In nature adult Yellowbanded Sweetlips attain sizes upwards of 3 feet in length; however, aquarium specimens more often grow to between 28 to 30 inches in length.

Aquarium Care

How to successfully keep Yellowbanded Sweetlips in the home aquarium.

Yellowbanded Sweetlips are available within the aquarium hobby fairly often and are commonly seen in large commercial aquariums like those in hotels or restaurants. They are sold under a wide variety of common names which include: Oriental Sweetlips, Oblique-banded Sweetlips, Diagonol-banded Sweetlips, Goldmans Sweetlips, Lined Blubber-lips and Lined Sweetlips.

Due to their large size they will need a large aquarium of somewhere around 400 to 500 gallons. An aquarium with a footprint of 8 x 4 feet or larger is preferable, as the Yellowbanded Sweetlips will grow to over 2 feet in length even within the aquarium environment.

Like other large carnivore fish species, Sweetlips consume a lot of food and produce an equal amount of waste. Strong biological and mechanical filtration is critical, as are monthly partial water changes in order to keep down dissolved organics.

While Yellowbanded Sweetlips are a peaceful species, there large size makes them destructive to corals and sessile invertebrates. They will also consume a wide variety of invertebrate species including worms, starfish, snails and many types of ornamental shrimp.

Yellowbanded Sweetlips are best suited for large FOWLR aquariums or as a schooling species in very large aquariums housing sharks, rays or other large aggressive species. The large size of the Yellowbanded Sweetlips will keep predators like sharks, groupers or triggerfish from bother them

Feeding & Nutrition

How to feed and provide proper nutrition for Yellowbanded Sweetlips.

In the wild their diet consists mostly of small crustaceans, starfish, snails and other similar prey items. Aquarium specimens should be fed a diet based of marine pellet, frozen foods and freeze-dried preparations designed for marine carnivores.

When first introduced to the aquarium the Yellowbanded Sweetlips may have to be enticed to eat by providing them saltwater feeder shrimp or other similar live foods. However, they should quickly adjust to prepared meaty foods in multiple forms. Feed daily once or twice a day, and adjust feeding frequency based on their growth rate and overall girth.

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