Spotted Sweetlips

The Spotted Sweetlips is one of the largest members of the Plectorhinchus genus, capable of reaching an impressive 35 inches in length in the wild. Adults are easily identified by their creamy white to pale grey body densely covered with large, round dark brown to black spots, creating a dramatic polka-dot appearance. The thick, fleshy lips characteristic of sweetlips are particularly prominent in this species. Juveniles display the typical sweetlips transformation pattern, starting with a dark body featuring bold white patches before gradually developing the spotted adult coloration over several years.

In the wild, Plectorhinchus picus is distributed across the Indo-Pacific, from Indonesia and the Philippines to the Great Barrier Reef and Fiji. Adults are found on coral reef slopes and outer reef walls at depths of 3 to 50 meters, often in small groups sheltering under large table corals, in caves, or beneath overhangs. They are primarily nocturnal predators, feeding on crustaceans, worms, echinoderms, and small fish during their nighttime foraging expeditions across the reef.

The Spotted Sweetlips is among the most challenging marine fish to maintain in captivity. Its enormous adult size demands an aquarium of at least 400 gallons, and like other large sweetlips, it is extremely difficult to wean onto prepared foods. Most imported specimens are juveniles that stubbornly refuse to eat anything other than live foods, and the mortality rate during acclimation is very high. This species is recommended only for the most experienced and dedicated expert aquarists with exceptionally large, mature systems.