Daum's reef lobster
Enoplometopus daumi
Also known as Pink Reef Lobster, Daum's Purple Reef Lobster
SaltwaterInvertebrate
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F
- 22–26°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 3.9 in
- 10 cm
- Minimum tank
- 50 gal
- 190 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Own kind
- One per tank
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Rare
- Reef safe
- Reef safe with caution
- Family
- Enoplometopidae
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific, hiding in reef caves and crevices and emerging at night.
Overview
Daum's reef lobster is a small, nocturnal reef lobster for a saltwater tank with plenty of caves. It is best with a little saltwater experience.
Did you know
Daum's reef lobster is one of the few lobsters colorful enough to be kept just for looks. It is splashed in purple, pink and orange, with white and red spots.
Caring for the Daum's reef lobster
Keep one Daum's reef lobster in a tank of at least 50 gal (190 L), with plenty of caves and overhangs to hide in. Most keepers only glimpse it at feeding time or under a night light.
Hold the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It mostly scavenges leftover meaty food. Iodine-rich foods help it molt cleanly.
Daum's reef lobster is mostly peaceful, but it will hunt small sleeping fish, shrimp and snails at night. Treat it as reef safe with caution, and keep it out of tanks with small or delicate tank mates.
Good to know
Enoplometopus daumi belongs to the reef lobster family Enoplometopidae, and it is small for a lobster. It carries a fuzzy pair of front claws and relies on smell to find food in the dark. It is also sold as the pink reef lobster or Daum's purple reef lobster.
In the wild
Daum's reef lobster lives in the Indo-Pacific. It is strictly nocturnal, spending the day jammed into a reef cave or crevice and coming out after dark.
Common questions
What size tank does a Daum's reef lobster need?
A Daum's reef lobster needs at least 50 gal (190 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Daum's reef lobster need?
A Daum's reef lobster is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a Daum's reef lobster eat?
A Daum's reef lobster mostly scavenges leftover meaty food, and it hunts small sleeping fish, shrimp and snails at night. Iodine-rich foods help it molt cleanly.
How big does a Daum's reef lobster get?
An adult Daum's reef lobster reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).
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