Mesothorax Hogfish Care Guide
Bodianus mesothorax is a Western Pacific and Indian Ocean reef wrasse with a sharp diagonal band dividing a dark front from a pale rear.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Bodianus mesothorax, the mesothorax or splitlevel hogfish, is a reef wrasse described by Bloch & Schneider in 1801. Juveniles are dark purple with bright yellow spots, while adults show a well-defined blackish diagonal band separating a purplish front from a paler yellowish rear. The colour change occurs at about 5-6 cm and takes only a few weeks.
Taxonomy
- Family: Labridae
- Genus: Bodianus
- Scientific name: Bodianus mesothorax
- Common synonyms: Coral Hogfish
Habitat
The species occurs in the Western Pacific between Japan and Australia, including New Caledonia and Fiji, and in the Indian Ocean along the western coasts of Malaysia and Indonesia. It is a marine, reef-associated fish recorded at depths of about 0-60 m, typically 5-20 m, on coral-rich outer reef slopes.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 400 L (about 106 gal)
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness range (dKH): 8-12
- Lifespan: 8-15 years
FishBase reports a natural temperature range of about 24-28 °C for the species, consistent with the reef-aquarium values above.
Diet
The species is a carnivore; FishBase places it at a trophic level of about 3.2. Adults often clean parasites from larger fishes.
Compatibility
As a wrasse that feeds on invertebrates, it is considered reef-cautious and may prey on small mobile invertebrates such as shrimps and snails. Adults swim near the substrate, while juveniles shelter in reef caves. It suits robust marine tankmates in a large reef or fish-only system.
Breeding
The species is oviparous and forms distinct pairs during breeding. It is not commonly bred in aquaria.
Conservation status
Wikipedia lists Bodianus mesothorax as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Mesothorax Hogfish (Bodianus mesothorax): Breeding Notes
Overview
Bodianus mesothorax is an Indo-Pacific hogfish ranging from the Andaman Sea to Japan, Fiji and Australia, living on reefs at depths of about 5 to 40 metres. Wikipedia notes a dramatic colour change around 5 to 6 cm: juveniles are dark purple speckled with yellow spots, while adults show a blackish diagonal band separating the purplish head from a paler rear. It eats invertebrates and adults act as cleaner fish.
Sexing
Hogfishes are protogynous hermaphrodites: individuals mature first as females and the dominant fish becomes the terminal male, which is the largest in a group. There is no reliable colour-based way to sex this species in the aquarium beyond relative size and social rank.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Bodianus species form pairs and ascend into open water to release eggs and sperm, broadcasting them above the reef. Such pelagic courtship requires far more open volume than a home tank provides, and it has not been documented in captivity for this species.
Egg & Fry Care
The fertilised eggs float into the plankton and the larvae have a pelagic phase before settling. No home protocol exists for rearing the larvae, so the species is collected from the wild and imported, commonly from the Philippines and Indonesia.
Common Challenges
The large adult size, semi-aggressive temperament, protogynous biology and pelagic broadcast spawning make controlled reproduction impractical at home. Pairing two adults is risky, and the open-water gamete release cannot be replicated in a confined system.