Queen Coris

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea, East Africa, and eastwards to Sri Lanka. Inhabits sand-patch areas of coastal reefs and deep seaward slopes at 2 to 50 meters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Labridae. Features a robust, elongated body that can reach 60 cm in length. Equipped with strong canine teeth used for crushing shells.

Social Behavior: Bold, highly active, and aggressive as it matures. Destructive behavior includes flipping rocks in search of prey. Highly territorial.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Juveniles are bright orange with white saddles outlined in black. Adults transition to a blue-green or grey body covered in small blue spots, with red and blue fins. Protogynous hermaphrodites.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a very large aquarium of at least 800 liters. A deep fine sand bed (minimum 10 cm) is mandatory for burrowing. Ensure rockwork is securely anchored to prevent tipping.

Diet and Feeding: Carnivore. Feeds on hard-shelled invertebrates. Feed chopped clams, shrimp, crabs, krill, and large pellets. Feed multiple times daily.

Water Quality: High-capacity filtration system. Maintain temperature at 23-28°C, pH 8.1-8.4, and salinity at SG 1.020-1.025.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Not reef-safe. Will eat all crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish. Keep only with large, aggressive tankmates like triggerfish, large groupers, and tangs.

Aquarium Breeding: Not achieved in home aquariums due to size constraints. Pelagic spawners.

Risks and Diseases: Extremely high jumping risk. Keeping this species without a deep sand bed leads to physical injury, stress, and eventual death.