Care
Despite its close resemblance to that of a goby, the Spotted Coral Croucher is actually a relative of the scorpionfish family. Cryptic by nature, these fascinating little bottom-dwellers are most at home within the shelter of branching SPS corals such as Pocillopora eydouxi, Stylophora mordax and some species of Acropora, where they navigate the maze of branches by pulling themselves along with their robust pectoral fins. The aquarium should be mature and incorporate plenty of live rock. The presence of healthy established colonies of branching corals is essential, as this is where the Spotted Coral Croucher will take up residence. In the wild, these fish are found in shallow reefs that undergo powerful surge action, so decent water movement, oxygenation, and filtration is important. Keep only one per tank unless your supplier can source you a mated pair. Tankmates should be of a peaceful nature as Spotted Coral Crouchers are very shy feeders and are easily out-competed. It is best to ensure your chosen fish is feeding well before purchase (ask to see the fish being fed) and also whilst it is in quarantine prior to adding to your main display tank. Target feeding small meaty foods with a turkey baster can very much help to ensure your Spotted Coral Croucher is receiving the nutrition it needs, and starting this during the quarantine period can help your fish get used to this process. As they rarely venture out very far from their chosen coral to take food from open water, the aquarist must be prepared to regularly target feed the fish in this way, aiming the food directly into the places where the fish are resting. Take care when handling Spotted Coral Crouchers during acclimatisation and when carrying out maintenance, as they are mildly venomous. Although always rather reclusive, well-settled specimens can become relatively tame, watching everything that the aquarist is doing with much interest (in a manner akin to hawkfish). This species seems to have gained a vast array of common names in addition to Spotted Coral Croucher; indeed, you may also see this fish on sale as the Gumdrop Coral Croucher, Velvetfish, Velvet Coral Croucher, Velvet Goby, Scarlet Spotted Coral Croucher, Scarlet Spotted Velvetfish, Red Speckled Coral Goby, and more. This is just one instance where the use of the Latin name is so valuable! This species bears a very close resemblance to C. madagascariensis of East Africa and C. typus of Haiwaiian waters. It is quite possible that subsequent revisions of the genus will reveal that these are all actually geographic variants of the same species with subtle differences in skin colour/markings.
Feeding
Can be challenging to feed. Requires dedicated target feeding with small meaty items such as vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, Mysis shrimp, zooplankton, and finely chopped krill/prawn/clam/mussel/cockle/fish flesh. Soaking the food in a garlic supplement may be beneficial in order to get the fish interested in feeding on frozen foods.
Breeding
Little is known about the reproductive habits of the Spotted Coral Croucher. One research paper suggests that they may release masses of eggs that are bound together in a floating gelatinous matrix.
