Blue Saddled Tilefish

Body pale olive-grey, darker above, belly pale blue; bluish violet band joining eyes across front of snout; lips and cheeks blue; upper 1/3 of pectoral fins bluish white, remainder pale yellow (Ref. 5591). This rare species has the deepest body in the genus and a thicker tail than H. cuniculus and H. starcki (Ref. 37816).Description: Greatest depth of body 3.5-4.2 in SL (Ref. 90102).

Displays obligate monogamy where a one-to-one pair is established irrespective of resource abundance (Ref. 52884).

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 12; Vertebrae: 24

Inhabits sandy areas at bases of reefs (Ref. 9710). A rare species that schools above huge mounds of rubble that it apparently builds (up to 5.5 m long x 3 m wide over 1 m high). Solitary or in pairs (Ref 90102).

aquarium: commercial

A rare species that schools above huge mounds of rubble that it apparently builds (up to 5.5 m long x 3 m wide over 1 m high).