Dot-and-Dash Goatfish - Fiji

The Dot-and-Dash Goatfish (Parupeneus barberinus) can be found among sandy lagoons and rocky outcroppings. Their body is a cream-white with a black stripe and a yellow dorsal section. They have a notable spot at the base of their caudal fin, which in tandem with the black stripe, are responsible for their common name Dot-and-Dash. They use two ventral barbels to feel around in the sand searching for benthic crustaceans and polychaete worms. During the day they scavenge for food, and spend their night lying dormant on the sea floor. P. barberinus reaches a maximum length of 24 inches and should be in a tank with a lot of swimming space and a thick established sand bed. They require a well balanced carnivorous diet of crustaceans and mollusks.