Hogfish

Hogfish don’t just sit around—they’re always on the move, swimming around the tank, looking for food and keeping things interesting. With their sharp instincts, bright colors and feisty personalities these fish bring energy to any saltwater setup. If you’re looking for a hardy, low maintenance fish with attitude hogfish are a good choice.

Spotlight on Our Hogfish

Spanish hogfish and Cuban hogfish come in bright colors and are a great addition to a saltwater tank. If you are a beginner aquarist these saltwater fish are very hardy aquarium dwellers, adapt well to captivity and are easy to care for but not reef safe.

Spanish Hogfish

The Spanish Hogfish (Bodianus rufus) is hard to miss with its bright yellow lower body and deep blue or purple upper half. Growing up to 8 inches, this species is an active swimmer that thrives in large tanks (150 gallons or more). Juveniles help keep tanks clean by eating parasites off other fish, but as adults, they shift to a diet of small fish, shrimp, and invertebrates.

Cuban Hogfish

Bold and colorful, the Cuban Hogfish (Bodianus pulchellus) brings serious personality to the tank. Native to the Western Atlantic and Caribbean, it shows off a deep reddish-pink body with yellow accents as it matures. These guys are active swimmers that like to stay busy—so give them plenty of open space and rockwork to cruise through. They can grow up to 11 inches and tend to do best with other assertive, similarly sized tank mates. Just don’t pair them with anything too timid—they don’t exactly know how to keep it low-key.

Caring for Hogfish

  • Diet: Omnivores that start as cleaners but eventually eat worms, mussels, brine shrimp, and small fish.
  • Tank Setup: Minimum 150-gallon tank with rock structures for hiding and hunting.
  • Behavior: Semi-aggressive—best kept with angelfish, butterflies, grunts, hawkfish, and other hogfish introduced at the same time.

Hogfish are tough, colorful, and full of personality. If you’re ready to add an active, engaging fish to your setup, check out our collection today!