Sixline soapfish

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep one in 200 litres or more with plenty of caves and ledges to hide in, at 24 to 27 C and pH 8.0 to 8.4. It leaves corals alone but will eat small fish, shrimp and crabs, so choose tankmates it cannot swallow. Some individuals only take live food at first and need weaning onto frozen shrimp and marine fish. Avoid rough tankmates that might injure it and trigger a toxin release.

In the wild

The sixline soapfish is a dark brown fish crossed by pale yellow stripes that break into dashes as it grows. It is a secretive, mostly nocturnal predator that spends the day tucked into a cave and comes out to hunt at dusk. Small and slow-moving, it looks harmless but is a capable ambush feeder.

Good to know

Grammistes sexlineatus produces a bitter skin toxin called grammistin, which it can release into the water when badly stressed or injured. In a small enclosed tank a large toxin release can poison other fish, so it should be netted and handled gently. The stripe pattern shifts from solid lines in juveniles to rows of dashes in adults.

Did you know

The name soapfish comes from the way the grammistin toxin froths up like soap suds if one of these fish is stressed in a bucket or bag.

Related species

• 

  Coney

  Cephalopholis fulva

  16.1 in (41 cm)106 gal (400 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Harlequin Bass

  Serranus tigrinus

  5.1 in (13 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Miniatus grouper

  Cephalopholis miniata

  17.7 in (45 cm)180 gal (680 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
• Candy Basslet

  Liopropoma carmabi

  2.4 in (6 cm)26 gal (100 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Square Anthias

  Pseudanthias pleurotaenia

  7.9 in (20 cm)100 gal (380 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Peacock grouper

  Cephalopholis argus

  23.6 in (60 cm)251 gal (950 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)