Range: Western Pacific Ocean: New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Palau, southern Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea

Size: Up to 14 in (35 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabit sandy bottom areas on coral reefs

General Husbandry: Has a temperature range of 72 - 83°F (22 - 28°C) and has a natural diet of benthic invertebrate, small fishes and larger zooplankton. Should be housed in a tank where the majority of the sandbed is exposed. May require live foods to initiate feeding in the aquarium. Requires a meaty diet such as enriched finely chopped fish or shrimp flesh, mysis, frozen brine shrimp, and/or frozen carnivore foods with at least one feeding per day. It will, however, attempt to eat small ornamental shrimp and snails, so may not be desirable in some reef aquariums. Do not house with aggressive tankmates. One per tank. Pretty as a juvenile, but colorless as an adult. Better left in the wild.

Aquarium Suitability: * * *