Malabar Blood Snapper

Lutjanus Snappers should be adding to very large well established aquariums with rockwork, caves and overhangs used to shelter in. Snappers require large amounts of swim room as they are active swimmers. Although normally found in groups in the wild only 1 fish per aquarium as they become quite large. Snappers should be housed with larger fish that are not easily harassed. Snappers are generally quite easy to feed and will generally accept most meaty diets. They will pick at and consume invertebrates and fish they are able to fit in their mouth.

The Malabar Blood Snapper is also commonly known simply as the Malabar Snapper. They are not as commonly seen in the aquarium trade as some other species of snappers, but they are occasionally available. Malabar Snappers have a moderately deep and compressed body, with a pointed snout and large eyes. Adults are generally a red or reddish orange color with red fins while juveniles have a brown or black stripe from the upper jaw to the beginning of dorsal fin and another one across their caudal peduncle with an overall pearly white body with a series of narrow red to brown horizontal lines. They can grow up to 39 in length, but are typically smaller in aquariums.

We recommend a minimum aquarium size of 250 gallons or larger for this species.

Water conditions: Salinity 1.020 - 1.025, Temp (F) 72 - 78, pH 8.1 - 8.4, Alkalinity 8 - 12 dKH