Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Bahamas to northern South America

Size: Up to 2 inches (5 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabit pitted limestone faces in tidepools and often found living among the spines of Diadema urchins

General Husbandry: Prefer a water temperature between 72 to 79°F (22 - 27°C). Natural diet consists mainly zooplankton. Requires a meaty diet, i.e., enriched brine shrimp, mysis, finely chopped fish or shrimp flesh, and other various frozen carnivore foods, with one or two feedings per day. They should not be housed with aggressive fishes such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfishes or aggressive angelfishes. Extremely popular, yet their normal life span is extremely short compared to other marine fishes, usually about one to two years. They are a cleaner fish, and will pick parasites off larger fishes.

Aquarium Suitability: *