fish
Oriental sweetlips.
Plectorhinchus vittatus · also: Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips
With bold yellow-and-black racing stripes and spotted fins, the oriental sweetlips is one of the reef's most elegant residents, hovering in loose groups under coral ledges by day. Its name comes from its large, fleshy lips. Juveniles are a complete transformation — boldly blotched and swimming with an exaggerated, fluttering wobble.
Size
Up to ~72 cm
Weight
Reaches ~50 cm (weight rarely reported).
Diet
Nocturnal carnivore — small crustaceans, gastropods, worms and small fish.
Lifespan
Up to ~15 years.
Depth
2–25 m on coral reefs, lagoons and seaward reefs.
Reproduction
Oviparous; spawns as pairs, often in aggregations around the full moon.
Snorkel or dive
Snorkel + dive
Best season
Year-round
Conservation
Least Concern
How to recognise it
Bold horizontal black-and-white stripes with yellow-spotted fins; thick fleshy lips.
Behaviour
Largely nocturnal; by day hovers in groups under overhangs and at cleaning stations.
Where to see it in the Maldives
Common on coral reefs throughout the atolls (2–25 m), especially channel reefs and cleaning stations.
Conservation
Minor fishery and aquarium-trade collection; not assessed as threatened.
IUCN · Least Concern
Watch them responsibly
Resting daytime groups spook easily — approach gently and don't crowd them under their ledge.
Juveniles mimic toxic flatworms with an exaggerated swimming wobble to deter predators.
The juvenile's fluttering swimming style mimics an unpalatable flatworm to deter predators.
Collective noun: a school of sweetlips
Want to dive with oriental sweetlips?
Our Maldives specialists match you to the right atoll, season and resort.
Sightings are typical, not guaranteed — encounters vary with season and conditions.