Spanish Hogfish
Bodianus rufus
A purple-and-yellow wrasse with a rooting piglike snout.
Spanish Hogfish sweep their pointed snouts over the reef while searching for crunchy prey. Younger fish also visit cleaning stations, where they pick parasites from larger neighbors.
Find this SeaPal in the card gallery
From field guide to game table
Bring this Spanish Hogfish home
See which ready-to-play decks feature this SeaPal. Try one in the simulator before you buy, or explore each full deck list.
- 1 copy
Ready-to-play deck
Blue Water Deck
Includes 1 card featuring Spanish Hogfish.
- 2 copies
Ready-to-play deck
Disruption Deck
Includes 2 cards featuring Spanish Hogfish.
- 1 copy
Ready-to-play deck
Murky Water Deck
Includes 1 card featuring Spanish Hogfish.
Quick dive
Creature passport
- Home
- Western Atlantic and Caribbean coral reefs, rocky ledges, and drop-offs.
- Favorite foods
- Crabs, snails, brittle stars, urchins, worms, and other hard-bottom animals.
- Size check
- Up to about 16 in (40 cm) — forearm length
Tell-your-friends facts
Four wonderfully wild things
- 1
Spanish Hogfish belong to the wrasse family.
- 2
Adults are yellow behind and purple-red toward the head.
- 3
Juveniles can advertise cleaning by moving conspicuously above the reef.
- 4
Like many wrasses, an individual can change from female to male.
Ocean superpower
Built to be amazing
Strong jaws and a probing snout uncover and crush hidden invertebrates.
Junior scientist tip
What should I look for?
Look for a sharp color split: purple-red front and yellow rear.
Grown-up research links
We used trusted science organizations to check this profile.