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Harlequin Bass
Basslet

Harlequin Bass

Serranus tigrinus

The Harlequin Bass is a stocky little Caribbean sea bass named for its bold black-and-white-and-yellow mottled 'tiger' pattern (eight vertical dark bars over a pale body). It's an exceptionally hardy ambush predator that eats virtually any meaty frozen food from day one and leaves corals and other sessile invertebrates alone, but its large mouth and predatory instincts mean it will happily eat small ornamental shrimp, tiny gobies, and other diminutive tankmates — stock it with fish its own size or bigger. FishBase records a rare wild maximum of around 29 cm, but the size actually seen in aquaria is consistently much smaller, around 10 cm. Keep only one per tank unless you have a confirmed bonded pair, since it's aggressive toward its own kind.

Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Max size
4.3"
Min tank
30 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Carnivore
Zone
Bottom, Rockwork
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Harlequin Bass gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Chalk BassHarlequin Bass and Chalk Bass are the same genus (Serranus) and will fight — keep only one.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Six-Line SoapfishSix-Line Soapfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Painted FrogfishPainted Frogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Harlequin Bass.Blue-Leg Hermit CrabHarlequin Bass hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Blue-Leg Hermit Crab is on the menu.Trochus SnailHarlequin Bass hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Trochus Snail is on the menu.Astrea SnailHarlequin Bass hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Astrea Snail is on the menu.Cerith SnailHarlequin Bass hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Cerith Snail is on the menu.Nassarius SnailHarlequin Bass hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Nassarius Snail is on the menu.Nerite SnailHarlequin Bass hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Nerite Snail is on the menu.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Kole TangHarlequin Bass and Kole Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sixline WrasseHarlequin Bass and Sixline Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Melanurus WrasseHarlequin Bass and Melanurus Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Coral HawkfishHarlequin Bass and Coral Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Springer's DottybackHarlequin Bass and Springer's Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Purple DottybackHarlequin Bass and Purple Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Midas BlennyHarlequin Bass and Midas Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellow Clown GobyHarlequin Bass (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yellow Clown Goby and may harass it.Green Clown GobyHarlequin Bass (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Green Clown Goby and may harass it.Longnose HawkfishHarlequin Bass and Longnose Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Potter's AngelfishHarlequin Bass and Potter's Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor BlennyHarlequin Bass and Bicolor Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Coris WrasseHarlequin Bass and Red Coris Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Flame HawkfishHarlequin Bass and Flame Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Saddleback ClownfishHarlequin Bass and Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Cherub AngelfishHarlequin Bass and Cherub Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Multicolor AngelfishHarlequin Bass and Multicolor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Starry BlennyHarlequin Bass and Starry Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Spotted MandarinHarlequin Bass and Spotted Mandarin both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Rusty AngelfishHarlequin Bass and Rusty Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.