Range: Indo-Pacific Ocean: East Africa to Samoa, and north to Ryukyu Islands

Size: Up to 3 inches (8 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoon sandy and muddy bottom areas is found in the burrow of Alpheus spp. shrimp

General Husbandry: Has a temperature range of 72 - 83°F (22 ­ 28°C). Natural diet consists mainly of zooplankton and small crustaceans. They should be housed in aquariums with a sandbed of at least two inches in depth. 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 in aquariums with aggressive fishes such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfishes or aggressive angelfishes. Rarely seen in the trade. (Note, the blue edged orange spots on V. ornatissima are often arranged in groups of four, five, or six, as well as individually along the sides - pers com w/Vincent Hargreaves)

Aquarium Suitability: *