Checkered Snapper (Lutjanus decussatus)

Snappers are a ubiquitous sight on coral reefs, but relatively few species from this family ever make their way into the aquarium trade. Most grow quite large and eventually become overly aggressive towards their tankmates, making them more suitable for a dinner plate than a fish tank. But there are a surprising number of common species occurring on Indo-Pacific reefs that stay a manageable size and can make for an interesting and uncommonly seen addition.

The Checkered Snapper (Lutjanus decussatus) is fully grown at a relatively meager 13 inches and is even said to average a bit smaller than this, at around 10 inches. At this size, a large fish-only system (180+ gallons) should prove adequate for housing a mature specimen, though this naturally depends on which species are stocked alongside it. Other large carnivores like groupers and snappers may cause unwelcome behavioral problems.

Unlike many of its cousins in this genus, which tend to be schooling, L. decussatus is mostly observed on its own. Studies have shown adults space themselves out over defined territories, which can measure over 3,000 square meters. It would likely prove foolish to attempt keeping more than one in all but the largest of aquariums.

Lutjanus is a diverse group when it comes to feeding ecology. Many reef species target crustaceans as the main component in their diet, but the sleek, elongate Checkered Snapper is a specialist on small fishes, with proportionally long teeth for capturing prey. It hunts primarily among the branches of stony corals, with its unusual checkerboard patterning helping to break up its outline among the shadows. Captive specimens are not fussy and will eat all sorts of meaty foods.

In the wild, youll find L. decussatus across a large swath of the Indo-Australian Archipelago, though it is oddly missing from certain parts. Sri Lanka seems to be about as far west as it gets, and further east it is common throughout Indonesia and the Philippines, up into Taiwan and Okinawa. But its apparently missing from areas further east where it might be expected, like Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. Nor does there seem to be an obvious relative replacing it here. Snappers, despite being large and valuable fishes, both ecologically and commercially, are still surprisingly poorly understood.