Sweetlips

ID points

• Thick, swollen lips of a pale whitish colour
• Juveniles and adults look completely different, stripes turning into spots as they grow
• Hangs motionless in groups under reef ledges by day

Basics

Family

Haemulidae

Length

40–80 cm

Depth

2-40 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs

Distribution

Tropical coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific

Habitat

Coral reef ledges and overhangs

Diet

Crustaceans, small fish

Easily confused with

CoelacanthDeep blue body covered in irregular white blotchesGrouperLarge head and mouth, with the lower jaw slightly protrudingLeopard GrouperBrown ground densely covered with small red-brown spots

Fun fact

Juvenile sweetlips wear bold black and white or orange and black patterns and swim with an exaggerated wiggle. As adults the pattern changes completely into a subdued grey covered in spots, as though the fish had swapped faces.