Range: Indian Ocean: Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand

Size: Up to 8 in (20 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabit shallow coastal reefs and turbid lagoon reefs

General Husbandry: Has a temperature range of 75 - 83°F (24 - 28°C) and has a natural diet of benthic invertebrate. Since they mostly feed upon benthic invertebrates they pose a danger in reef tanks. Provide a meaty diet, including fortified brine shrimp, mysis, black worms and other meaty type frozen foods with two or three feedings per day. Require numerous hiding places. Sometimes bury themselves if frightened. Usually, they sleep under rock shelves, on or under a coral branch, in a crevice, or directly on the sand surface, however, providing a deep sandbed of about 3 inches (7.5 cm) of fine-grained sand would be a good idea. Rarely seen in the trade.

Aquarium Suitability: * *