Plesiops coeruleolineatus (Coral Devil)?

Zionas · May 13, 2024

Anyone have experience with this fish or a similar species? What’s their care and habits like? They’re a close relative of the Marine Betta and Assessors that’s as far as I know.

From what I see of their behavior they’re more of a perching and sedentary species compared to both the Marine Betta and the Assessors which swim more openly, more like a Hawkfish.

Jay Hemdal · May 13, 2024

Zionas said:
Anyone have experience with this fish or a similar species? What’s their care and habits like? They’re a close relative of the Marine Betta and Assessors that’s as far as I know.

From what I see of their behavior they’re more of a perching and sedentary species compared to both the Marine Betta and the Assessors which swim more openly, more like a Hawkfish.

We had one in our 1500 gallon reef for a number of years. We never saw it during the day. We acquired it in 1995 and it wasn't seen for the 2010 inventory, so it lived at least 14 years.

Boreas_SA · May 13, 2024

I currently have 2 of them, for about 2 years now. They are super cryptic, only see them every now and then. Had some small cleaner shrimps disappear and suspect them, but seems fine with small fish:

Zionas · May 13, 2024

I see. How did it get along with other fish? What did it eat and was it hard to feed? Any way to know if they’re hermaphrodites? Was it more or less full grown when you got it?

Zionas · May 13, 2024

Are they a male and female pair? Do they take flakes and pellets and how are they with other fish?

Boreas_SA · May 14, 2024

Zionas said:
I see. How did it get along with other fish? What did it eat and was it hard to feed? Any way to know if they’re hermaphrodites? Was it more or less full grown when you got it?

Not too sure about hermaphrodite, but they don’t hang out together. Think it was almost fully grown when I got it. Haven’t seen it notice any fish at all as it is always hiding. It eats something as they are always fat, but never see it eat due to their cryptic nature. From what I read their natural diet is mostly crustaceans, so suspect it eats my homemade frozen mix that contains chopped up prawns. Have some small fish in there and they don’t seem to see them as food.