Description

The Red Coral Lobster, or Hawaiian Reef Lobster (Enoplometopus scyllarus), is a stunning and relatively common crustacean in the marine aquarium trade. However, its beautiful colouration comes with a significant caution regarding tank compatibility.

Reef & Tank Compatibility: Reef Safe With Extreme CautionThe biggest consideration is its predatory nature. While often sold as a “Reef Lobster,” it is an opportunistic nocturnal predator.

Risk to Fish: High. While it may appear docile during the day, it will actively hunt and consume small, slow-moving, or resting fish, especially at night.

Risk to Invertebrates: High. It will readily eat smaller crustaceans (like ornamental shrimp, crabs, and smaller hermit crabs) and may damage or consume sessile invertebrates like soft corals or clam tissue if hungry.

Best Environment: A Fish-Only (FO) or a Fish-Only-With-Live-Rock (FOWLR) system is the safest bet, or a species-specific tank. If placed in a reef tank, only keep it with larger, fast-moving fish and accept the risk to your clean-up crew and any small ornamental shrimp.

Care Requirements

They are hardy and can tolerate typical reef water conditions well, provided parameters are stable and copper is avoided.

Maximum Size: Up to 6 inches (15 cm)This is a medium-to-large invertebrate that needs space to roam and hide.

Minimum Tank Size:50 gallons (190 L) or moreA larger tank is crucial for stability and for providing extensive rockwork and hiding places.

Diet: Carnivore/ScavengerMust be fed a varied diet of meaty foods to keep it from hunting tankmates. Feed at night, using a feeding prong or tube to place food directly into its hiding spot.

Hiding Places Essential The lobster is nocturnal and shy, requiring ample caves, crevices, and rock structure to feel secure, especially during molting. Ensure rockwork is stable and placed on the tank bottom, as they may try to burrow underneath and cause a rock slide.

Water Quality: Stable Like all crustaceans, they are highly sensitive to copper-based medications and require stable parameters, particularly iodine or other trace minerals for healthy moulting.

Temperament: Territorial. They are generally solitary. Do not attempt to keep two Enoplometopus lobsters in the same tank, as they are highly aggressive towards their own kind.

Key Behaviour: Red Coral Lobster spends most of its day securely hidden in a cave or crevice. It will emerge primarily at night to scavenge and hunt. This nocturnal lifestyle means you may not see it often unless you use a low-wattage red light or blue moonlight to observe it after the main lights are out.