Anisotremus virginicus

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Porkfish

Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Florida, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and south to Brazil.

Size: 15 inches (37 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits rocky coastal reefs at depths between 6 - 85 feet (2 – 25 m) where they form small groups taking shelter in caves and shipwrecks during daytime and and venturing out during evening hours to feed on crabs, shrimp, serpent stars, sea stars, polychaete worms, isopods, bivalves, tunicates, and other benthic invertebrates.

General Husbandry: Quite an attractive and a hardy species and somewhat common in the trade. As a juvenile, the body is basically white with numerous horizontal yellow lines, head deeply sloped, black eye band, with a second black vertical band just aft of the head, and yellow dorsal, anal, pelvic, pectoral and tail fins. As it ages, the body becomes yellow and the horizontal lines become somewhat bluish.

Best maintained in very large fish-only aquariums with wide-open swimming areas with caves and overhangs to take shelter during the daytime. As to diet, will learn to take food during the daytime, and will consume a wide variety of frozen and fresh meaty foodstuffs (chopped squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc.), including any ornamental crustaceans in the aquarium, and should be fed several times daily.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Percoidei

Family: Haemulidae

Genus: Anisotremus

FYI: Usually seen as juveniles, however, they grow fast and outgrow most hobbyist aquariums.

Has been reared in captivity.

Juveniles perform cleaning activities - pick parasites from larger fish.

Gamefish/human consumption fish – yet reported to sometimes contain the ciguatera toxin.

Popular fish in public aquariums.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: No

Fish Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful or non-aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 180 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 84°F (22 – 29°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 -1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5