by Stan & Debbie Hauter
Hawaiian Hog Wrasse
Juvenile
Adult (Female)
Photos courtesy of Brian Tissot's
Marine Fishes of Hawai'i - Wrasse PageCommon Names: Black Spot Wrasse
Boss Hog
Hogfish
Hawaiian Name: 'A'awa and Po-'o-u
Scientific Name: Bodianus bilunulatus
Source Info: Fishes of Hawai'i by
Spencer Wilkie Tinker
Identification
The color of the Hawaiian Hog Wrasse varies with age. In the young juvenile stage it has a very large black spot at the back of the body, the main part of the body has a diagonal split color being a very bright yellow color on top, and a white tail. (See photo above-Juvenile).As the fish matures the black spot disappears and a black spot develops on the upper side of the body at the base of the soft dorsal fin. The darker body color and bright yellow on the top fades, the body becomes white and yellow with small horizontal darker stripes, the tail and base of the pectoral and dorsal fins become yellow. (See photo above-Adult Female). The adult male has a purplish-blue color to the body and small speckled spots on the lower jaw area.
Older fishes of this species loose the brightness in their colors and become a bluish-black color.
Characteristics
This Wrasse can reach a very large size of up to 24 inches. It is a predatory fish, so caution should be used not to mix smaller fish with it.It is found in many places on the reef, shallow and deeper waters. It is commonly eaten in Hawaii and can be easily hooked when fishing with just about any kind of bait.
The distribution of this fish extends from Hawaii southward to central Polynesia and westward through the East Indies and across the Indian Ocean to Mauritius.
Diet
The Hog Wrasse is Carnivorous and does have teeth. It feeds on Invertebrates like urchins, crabs, shrimp, other mollusks/crustaceans, and sometimes other smaller fishes. It is not a hard fish to get to eat and adjust to tank life. It will eat just about any type of tank fed foods you give it. Since in nature its natural diet consists of Inverts and Crustaceans, feed it the same type of diet.Guides' Notes
Other Wrasses in the Wrasse Fish Family generally will bury themselves or hide in the sand. The Hog Wrasse does not usually do this. It is a Wrasse that is on the move and needs lots of room to roam. Because of the large size it can grow to it should be kept in larger aquariums.Being a carnivore with a particular taste for Inverts and Crustaceans, it is not a fish that is advised for a reef tank. It is a good fish to keep in a fish-only tank with other larger, carnivorous fishes.
