hi, i recently bought a Cuban Hogfish. For some reason it took forever to find!!...finally my LFS ordered me one. it was about an inch and a half, very small and expensive, but ive been looking for one and willing to pay for it. ive had it for a few weeks now, eats great and growing well. The main reason i wanted a cuban was because of its coloration (bright red) but this particular fish is more of a maroon color. Is this the juvenile stage or did i just get unlucky and get a maroon colored Cuban Hog??? thanks for your help
cuban hogfish color
- Thread starter aquabod
- Start date
Close, very close. That is the intermediate color phase. The juvenile fish is all yellow with a black blotch on the dorsal fin. The intermediate is the maroon to blackish color you have now. and The adult will get the bright red. You may want to feed some food with color enhancers for red pigmentation to help it get that vibrant red and keep it. Good luck with your fish, hogfish are usually bullet proof.
flameangel88
New member
I got 2 last May that was 2.5 & 3" and the 3" is easily 4" now. They eat well and grows pretty fast. They get more aggressive toward smaller fish as they get larger. Got another one last Oct or Nov that was about 2.5" which is pretty red but has gotten darker since.
Here's the 4" hog taken 2 weeks ago
Here's the 4" hog taken 2 weeks ago
thanks for replys. I have had realy good experience with other hogs, like you say they seem to be bullet proof and acting as cleaners during the juvenile stages is another added bonus. I feel better now that mine is just going through a stage of color, and will turn that bright red. will definitely feed color enhancing foods.... Flameangel88 i wander why your Cuban is turning from a bright red to a darker color?...could it be diet or just morphing into a different stage??
flameangel88
New member
All 3 are in different tanks...I tried to have 2 together but the larger is always too aggressive and the smaller goes into hiding. Even at 2.5" I don't see it doing too much cleaning and the 3.5" definitely show no interest of cleaning and possible will eat smaller fish as it gets larger. I don't have a clue on how to sex them. When my angel & butterflies are under the weather they will go toward the hog for cleaning but the Cuban shows no interest whatsoever. If anyone buying them thinking they will clean other fish then I wouldn't suggest the purchase. If they are cleaners then they must be smaller than 2.5".
mine is around 2'' and cleans quite often.my fish line up and wait there turn. i certainly dont think they are programmed like a true cleaner wrasse is to go after other fish to clean, probably because they dont rely on what they get from the fish they clean to survive. i have a spanish hog which seems to grow an inch a week. great cleaner when small but has no interest at almost 4 ''. i just hope my cuban will grow up bright red
