Red Emperor Snapper (Lutjanus Sebae)

Species Name : Lutjanus Sebae 

Care Level : Easy

Temperament : Semi-aggressive

Color : Maroon, White, Pink

Reef Compatible : No 

Mature Size : 45 inches 

Diet : Carnivore 

Origin : Indo-Pacific

Family : Lutjanidae

Minimum Tank Size : 400 gallons

Red Emperor Snapper (Lutjanus Sebae), also known as red emperor, emperor snapper, government bream, king snapper, queenfish or red kelp, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. 

They have a sloped head, rusty red to pink body, pink pectoral fins and the rest of the fins are red. A dark red-brownish band runs from the tip of the snout and through the eye, a band from the middle of the dorsal fin to the pelvic fin, and a diagonal band from the end of the last dorsal spine to the lower caudal fin.

Most of these fish grow very large and need a very large aquarium with sufficient filtration to accommodate them. As far as space is concerned, a standard 400 gallon tank is just a starting point if you plan on growing your young emperor snapper into an adult. You should arrange a tank with a large ledge or hole where they can hide.

The Red Emperor Snapper grows pretty fast and eats ornamental crustaceans in the aquarium that makes it unsuitable for a reef tank. Most will not eat or disturb corals and sessile (stationary) invertebrates but species that perch on surfaces may irritate or damage the corals by this behavior alone. As a juvenile, it likes to school with other Emperor Snappers, but as an adult, it should be alone in the tank. Be careful when keeping these fish together with peaceful or docile species. Regular feeding, plenty of hiding places and a lot of space can alleviate aggressive behavior to some degree.

Like all snappers, the red emperor snappers are gonochoristic – the sexes are separate, with the male and female reproductive organs occurring in different individuals, as opposed to hermaphroditic, gynogenetic and others.

Snappers (Lutjanidae) are predatory fish, which normally live off fish and a wide range of invertebrates; typically crustaceans, but also snails, sea urchins, worms etc. They will mostly find their food on the bottom, and some species will blow in the sand to find food. A diet of rich, meaty foods such as shrimp, clam, fish (whole and/or chunked), squid, and other seafood should constitute the bulk of the diet. In addition to a well-balanced meat diet, it is also necessary to offer high quality pellets.