Sand Tilefish

The Sand Tilefish is an elegant and softly colored species that displays a beautiful pastel palette of light blue to lavender on the body, transitioning to pale yellow on the head and face, with a distinctive dark bar across the forehead that gives rise to its scientific name 'fronticinctus' (front-banded). This delicate color combination creates a subtle, ethereal beauty that is highly prized by reef aquarists who appreciate understated elegance over bold coloration.

In the wild, the Sand Tilefish inhabits sandy and rubble-strewn areas adjacent to reef slopes in the Western Pacific, typically at depths of 20 to 50 meters. It is an industrious burrow builder, constructing elaborate tunnel systems in the substrate reinforced with carefully selected pieces of rubble and debris. During the day, it hovers in the water column above its burrow, feeding on passing zooplankton and maintaining a watchful eye for predators. At the slightest disturbance, it retreats into its burrow with remarkable speed.

Reaching about 6 inches in length, the Sand Tilefish requires an aquarium of at least 55 gallons with a deep sand bed of 3 or more inches mixed with rubble for burrow construction. A sealed lid is absolutely essential, as this species is an extremely prolific jumper and will exploit any gap to escape. It is completely reef-safe and poses no threat to corals or invertebrates. The Sand Tilefish does best when kept in pairs, as solitary individuals tend to be more reclusive and stressed. Multiple small feedings throughout the day are preferred, and a connected refugium producing live copepods is beneficial for supplementing its diet.