Common Name: Spotted Soapfish
Species Name: Rypticus subbifrenatus Gill, 1861
Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Southern Florida, Bahamas to Venezuela, and also the Eastern Atlantic: Senegal south to Angola
Size: Up to 7 inches (17.5 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabit tidal pools, near shore areas and shallow open reef areas
General Husbandry: Has a temperature range of 72 - 82°F (22 - 28°C) and their natural diet consists mainly of small fishes and crustaceans. Requires a meaty diet, i.e., enriched chopped fish or shrimp flesh, with daily feedings. As with all soapfish, if stressed, it may release a toxic substance (grammistin) from the skin that could kill itself and all tankmates. Prevent any stressful conditions in the tank! Non-aggressive, except to something that can be swallowed. Prefers to hide in caves and may be seen more often if maintained in a dimly lit tank.
Aquarium Suitability: * & * *
Anemonefishes - Angelfishes - Anthias - Assessors - Bannerfish - Basslets (Dottybacks and Grammas) - Batfishes - Blennies - Boxfishes - Brotulas - Butterflyfishes - Cardinalfishes - Catfishes - Cuttlefish - Damselfishes - Dartfishes - Dragonets - Drums - Eels - Filefishes - Flashlight fishes - Flatheads - Frogfishes - Goatfishes - Gobies - Groupers - Hamlets - Hawkfishes - Helmut Gurnards - Jacks - Jawfishes - Lion fishes - Livebearing Brotula - Lizardfishes - Mollies - Moorish Idol - Parrotfishes - Pinecone fishes - Pipefishes - Porcupine fishes - Pufferfishes - Rabbitfishes - Rays - Sand Perches - Scats - Scorpionfishes - Seabasses - Seahorses - Sea Moths - Sharks - Shrimpfishes - Snappers - Soldierfishes - Spinecheeks - Squirrelfishes - Surgeonfishes (Tangs) - Sweetlips - Tilefishes - Triggerfishes - Trumpetfishes - Wrasses
Or go back to Animal Library Index Page...
* - Suited for the reef aquarium;
** - Better suited for the fish-only aquarium;
*** - Better left in nature;
**** - Needing an aquarium larger than 125 gallons; and,
***** - Needing their own private environment/special tankmates.