Candy Basslet

The candy basslet looks like a piece of candy thanks to its orange-yellow and lavender horizontal stripes and the thin red lines between them; there are blue-edged black spots on the second dorsal fin and on both lobes of the tail. It reaches only 6 cm. It is a close relative of the swissguard basslet. In the wild it lives hidden in the crevices of coral reefs in the Caribbean at depths of 15–70 meters; because it is collected from deep water, it is rare and expensive. Once settled, it is a hardy fish that is easy to feed.

• At least 75 liters; a rock structure with plenty of crevices and tunnels.
• Salinity specific gravity 1.023–1.026, pH 8.1–8.4, temperature 24–27°C.
• Reef-safe: it leaves corals and ornamental shrimp alone.
• Shaded crevices; a bare layout where it is left exposed stresses it.
• It can jump; a lid is essential.

Carnivorous. Offer frozen mysis, brine shrimp, copepods and finely chopped seafood. Deliver the food near its crevices; feed 1–2 times a day.

Peaceful and very shy; it spends its day among the rocks. It is territorial towards its own species and towards species that share its crevice-dwelling lifestyle.

Good companions: Gobies, cardinalfish, calm blennies, fairy wrasses, clownfish, ornamental shrimp.

Avoid: Other Liopropoma, grammas and dottybacks, hawkfish, tough damsels, large predators.