🐠 Yellow Banded Sweetlip (Plectorhinchus lineatus)
A Striped Black-and-White Juvenile • A Dark, Finely Lined Adult With Bright Yellow Lips and Fins • A Showpiece for Very Large Tanks
 
📋 The Yellow Banded Sweetlip, also known as the Diagonal-Banded or Lined Sweetlips, goes through a striking transformation. Juveniles show a bold black-and-white striped pattern that subdivides with age until the body is dark chocolate-brown with a network of fine white lines, breaking into smaller spots on the lower sides, while the lips and fins turn bright yellow with black spotting.
It comes from the Western Pacific, from the Ryukyu Islands to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia, living in deep inner-to-outer reef habitats. Like all grunts, it makes an audible grunting sound by grinding its throat teeth, resonating through its swim bladder. It's a peaceful, shy, nocturnal bottom feeder that feeds on benthic invertebrates over open sand at night. Every Yellow Banded Sweetlip we ship is feeding well, and live shrimp make a great first food.
It's one of the largest sweetlips, reaching up to 72cm, and it eats well, so plan on at least 950L (250 gallons), and we recommend about 1,900L (500 gallons) for a full adult, with powerful filtration. It isn't reef safe, as it will eat small fish and crustaceans, and it's best kept without others of its own kind.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 A Striking Transformation: Black-and-white striped juvenile to a dark, lined adult
💛 Bright Yellow Lips and Fins: A bold feature on the adult
🍽️ Ships Feeding Well: Every Yellow Banded Sweetlip we send is eating confidently
📏 Up to 72cm: A showpiece for very large tanks
🪸 Not Reef Safe: Eats small fish and crustaceans