Microcanthus strigatus
| Identification | The Stripey is a striking, deep-bodied oval fish with a golden-yellow base crossed by five to six bold, oblique black-brown stripes. Its shape and pattern make it look like a butterflyfish at a glance, but it is actually a “stripey” (family Microcanthidae), a relative of the sea chubs. Also sold as the Australian Stripey or Convict Fish. |
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| Maximum Length | about 6″ (16 cm) |
| Origin | Subtropical Indo-West Pacific — Australia, Japan, Taiwan and Hawaii. This specimen is Australian-collected. |
| Minimum Tank Size | 70 Gal. |
| Reef Compatibility | Generally reef safe (with caution) |
Behavior
A hardy, peaceful and endlessly active swimmer that spends the day cruising open water and picking over the rockwork. Juveniles school, while adults often pair off or form loose groups — a small group in a larger tank looks superb. It is a subtropical species that prefers slightly cooler water and mixes well in a peaceful community.
Diet & Feeding
An easy, undemanding omnivore. In the wild it grazes on algae and small invertebrates; in the aquarium it readily takes mysis, enriched brine, marine pellets and flake, plus dried algae/nori. A varied diet fed a couple of times a day keeps its colors bright.
Cautions
The Stripey comes from cooler subtropical seas, so it does best toward the lower end of reef temperatures (about 72–78°F) and may not thrive long-term if kept very warm. It is largely reef safe, but like many chubs a large adult can nip at soft corals or pick at very small ornamental shrimp — hence the “with caution” note.