Broadbanded velvetchin
Hapalogenys analis
The Broadbanded velvetchin features a streamlined body with distinctive horizontal bands and a soft, velvety texture on its body.
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About the Broadbanded velvetchin
Stocky, banded reef-edge grunt with little chin barbels that it uses to feel around sandy bottoms. It hangs near the bottom in cool to warm-temperate seas and snaps up small crustaceans and fishes, so it is not reef-safe. Give it room and strong, clean flow and it settles in well.
Also known as
Quick Facts
Size
20.1 cm SL (about 8 inches)
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Difficulty
Advanced
Min Tank Size
75 gallons
Lifespan
6-8 years
Origin
Northwest Pacific
Diet
Carnivore - crustaceans, small fish, mollusks; accepts meaty marine foods
Water Parameters
10-25°C
7.8-8.4
300-400 dGH
Need a heater for this species?
This species needs 10-25°C in a 75 gallon tank. Use our heater calculator to find the right wattage.
Calculate heater sizeCare Notes
- Give a single adult a 150+ gal tank with a long footprint, soft sand (no crushed coral), and lots of caves/overhangs; keep flow low-moderate and the lid tight.
- Run SG 1.023-1.026, 72-78 F, pH 8.1-8.4, with zero ammonia/nitrite and nitrate under ~20 ppm; they sulk hard if salinity or temp swings.
- They are crepuscular ambush feeders, so target-feed at dusk with tongs; start with live ghost shrimp or salt-acclimated mollies, then wean to thawed shrimp, squid, clam, and bits of marine fish.
- Soak foods in vitamins (e.g., Selcon) and vary the menu; do not rely on feeder goldfish or only raw shrimp because of thiaminase.
- Peaceful but predatory: anything bite-sized or any shrimp/crab is food; pair with calm, non-nippy fish too big to swallow, and skip triggers, big wrasses, and puffers that outcompete or nip.
- Quarantine 4-6 weeks and hit flukes/worms with praziquantel; keep QT dim with hides and only use copper if you know their tolerance and watch appetite.
- Watch for chin and mouth abrasions and cloudy eyes from bumping rock; fine sand and gentle flow help, and target-feed so they do not lose weight.
- Breeding in home tanks is a no-go; keep one per tank unless you have a massive system with multiple retreats.
Compatibility
Good Tankmates
- Steady midwater cruisers like tangs and rabbitfish (yellow tang, kole tang, foxface) that ignore bottom sitters
- Larger, even-tempered angels like Genicanthus and medium Pomacanthus types - fine if they are not hyper-dominant
- Hefty but polite wrasses like a harlequin tusk or adult Halichoeres - too big to be seen as food and not fin nippers
- Nocturnal buddies like squirrelfish and soldierfish - same lights-out schedule, not pushy or nippy
- Good-sized goatfish that sift sand - active but chill, and way too big to swallow
- Chunky hawkfish like longnose or arc-eye if size-matched - they perch and mind their business
Avoid
- Bite-size fish like firefish, small gobies, chromis, and juvenile wrasses - they will end up on the menu
- Seahorses or pipefish - too slow and delicate, get outcompeted and may get gulped
- Triggerfish and big puffers - rough, nippy, and pushy at feeding time
- Large groupers or moray eels - will view a velvetchin as prey if they can fit it in
Where they come from
Broadbanded velvetchin (Hapalogenys analis) are a Western Pacific fish from coastal Japan down through Taiwan and nearby parts of the South China Sea. You find them over silty sand and rubble around bays and estuaries. The water is cooler than a typical reef tank and often a bit murky. They are sit-and-wait ambush predators that work the bottom at dusk and night.
Setting up their tank
They get big and chunky. My velvetchin hit around 12 inches and still had growing to do. Plan for an adult from day one.
- Tank size - 180 gallons minimum with a 6 ft x 2 ft footprint for an adult. Juveniles can start larger than you think (90-120 gallons) but grow out fast.
- Temperature - 19-23 C (66-73 F). This is cooler than a reef. A chiller makes life easier in warm climates.
- Salinity - 1.023-1.026, pH 8.0-8.3, dKH 8-10.
- Flow - Moderate overall, but keep some calmer zones near the bottom where they rest.
- Substrate - Fine sand with scattered smooth rubble. They like to hunker down on soft footing.
- Rockwork - Caves and overhangs with open sand in front. Stack rock very securely; this fish is solid and can bump hard.
- Lighting - Subdued. They do not love bright reef lighting. I ran a dimmer schedule with a long dawn/dusk period.
- Filtration - Heavy. Big skimmer, strong mechanical filtration, and plan for regular large water changes. They eat a lot and it shows up in the nitrate number.
Give them a shaded cave facing the front glass. They feel safe there and learn to come out for food without panicking.
Use a tight-fitting lid. They do not jump often, but a spooked velvetchin can launch straight up.
What to feed them
They are crustacean and fish eaters. Most arrive wild-caught and may ignore pellets at first. Mine started on live, then switched over with a little patience.
- Starter foods - Live ghost shrimp (salt-acclimated), small crabs, or live marine blackworms get them interested.
- Staples once trained - Frozen prawn, krill, squid strips, chopped marine fish (silversides, mackerel), mussel, clam. Offer with tongs near their hide.
- Weaning trick - Mix a live shrimp with a few thawed pieces on tongs. After they strike, keep the tongs there for the next bite.
- Supplements - Soak food in a vitamin/omega blend a couple times per week to help prevent HLLE and fatty liver.
- Schedule - Juveniles: small feeds daily. Adults: 3-4 modest meals per week. They pack on weight easily.
Skip feeder goldfish/rosies. Wrong nutrition and high disease risk. If you must use live, go marine and quarantine it.
How they behave and who they get along with
Think gentle bulldog. They are calm, mostly bottom-bound, and get bolder once they learn your routine. Mine waited under his ledge and made quick lunges for food, then went right back to loafing.
- Temperament - Peaceful toward fish too big to swallow, but anything bite-sized will disappear.
- Best tankmates - Robust, non-nippy fish that are not lightning fast or hyper-aggressive. Give preference to species comfortable at 20-23 C.
- Avoid - Triggers, large puffers, fin-nipping damsels, and very fast grazers that will outcompete them. Definitely avoid ornamental shrimp and small crabs.
- Solo vs group - Keep one per tank. They are not schooling fish and may squabble with similar-shaped tankmates in close quarters.
Feed the velvetchin first with tongs, then broadcast for everyone else. It stops the speedsters from stealing every bite.
Not reef safe. Even if they ignore corals, they will hunt your shrimp and small fish and can bulldoze frags.
Breeding tips
Realistically, this is outside home aquarium territory. They are open-water spawners with pelagic larvae, and there are no solid home breeding reports. If you are curious, watch for seasonal cues like cooler winter water and longer dusk periods, but plan your setup for long-term display, not breeding.
Common problems to watch for
- Heat stress - Above 24 C they get sulky and go off food. A chiller or a cool room makes a huge difference.
- Not eating - Keep lights dim, try live marine shrimp, and feed at dusk. Resist the urge to poke or chase with tongs; that sets you back.
- Parasites and flukes - Very common on wild fish. Do a full 4-6 week quarantine and use praziquantel. I also run observation for velvet/ich and treat accordingly.
- Nitrate creep - They are messy. Big water changes and a skimmer that actually pulls dark gunk are your friends. A macro refugium helps stabilize things.
- Mouth and snout scrapes - They lunge and can hit rock. Smooth sharp edges and keep rockwork stable.
- HLLE and fatty deposits - One-note diets and dirty water cause problems. Rotate foods, add vitamins, and do not overfeed.
Buy one that is already eating frozen at the shop if you can. Watch it take multiple pieces, not just a curiosity bite.
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