{"id":2651,"date":"2026-02-16T23:12:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:12:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/product\/blue-lobster-panulirius-versicolor\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T23:12:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:12:20","slug":"blue-lobster-panulirius-versicolor","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/?product=blue-lobster-panulirius-versicolor","title":{"rendered":"Blue Lobster Panulirius Versicolor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blue Lobster (Panulirus versicolor)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

(Also known as the Painted Rock Lobster, Tropical Rock Lobster, or Bamboo Lobster)<\/em><\/p>\n

Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Blue Lobster is a stunning spiny lobster species, instantly recognisable for its vivid blue, green, and purple body<\/strong>with cream-coloured bands across its legs and long striped antennae. Unlike true clawed lobsters, Panulirus<\/em> species lack large pincers but possess strong spiny exoskeletons for defence. They can grow up to 40 cm (16 inches)<\/strong> in length and are nocturnal, spending daylight hours hiding in caves before venturing out at night to forage.<\/p>\n

Origin<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Native to the Indo-Pacific region<\/strong>, including the Red Sea, East Africa, Indonesia, Fiji, and Northern Australia. Typically found in coral reefs and rocky crevices, from shallow lagoons to depths of about 15\u201320 m.<\/p>\n

Feeding<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Blue Lobster is an omnivorous scavenger<\/strong>. In the wild, it feeds on algae, detritus, molluscs, and small invertebrates. In aquariums, it will accept:<\/p>\n

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    Fresh or frozen seafood (shrimp, clam, mussel, squid, fish)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Sinking carnivore pellets or wafers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Algae-based foods for variety<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Leftover food from tank mates (they are efficient scavengers)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Feed 2\u20133 times per week<\/strong>, ideally in the evening when they are active.<\/p>\n

    Tank Mates<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Best kept in large fish-only-with-live-rock (FOWLR) systems<\/strong>. Suitable companions include:<\/p>\n

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      Larger, robust fish (tangs, triggers, groupers, angelfish)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Other aggressive\/boisterous fish species that will not be intimidated<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Avoid:<\/p>\n

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      • \n

        Small fish, shrimp, crabs, or snails (may be eaten)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Reef tanks, as they are not safe with corals or ornamental invertebrates<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Aggression<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        Semi-aggressive.<\/strong> While they do not actively hunt larger fish, they are opportunistic feeders and will prey on smaller or slow-moving animals. They may also become territorial toward other lobsters, so only one specimen per tank is recommended.<\/p>\n

        Experience Level<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        Intermediate to advanced.<\/strong> Hardy once acclimated, but their large size, strong territorial needs, and incompatibility with reef invertebrates make them better suited to experienced aquarists with large marine setups.<\/p>\n

        Water Parameters<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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        • \n

          Temperature:<\/strong> 24\u201328\u00b0C (75\u201382\u00b0F)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          pH:<\/strong> 8.1\u20138.4<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n

          Salinity:<\/strong> 1.023\u20131.026 SG<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Hardness (dKH):<\/strong> 8\u201312<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Tank Size:<\/strong> Minimum 125 gallons (475L)<\/strong> for a single adult<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Provide plenty of caves, rockwork, and overhangs to mimic their natural hiding places.<\/p>\n

          Reef Compatibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n

          Not reef safe.<\/strong> Will eat crustaceans, snails, and may damage corals while foraging. Best suited to FOWLR aquariums.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Blue Lobster (Panulirus versicolor) (Also known as the Painted Rock Lobster, Tropical Rock Lobster, or Bamboo Lobster) Overview The Blue Lobster is a stunning spiny lobster species, instantly recognisable for its vivid blue, green, and purple bodywith cream-coloured bands across its legs and long striped antennae. Unlike true clawed lobsters, Panulirus species lack large pincers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2650,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[145],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2651","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-lobsters","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"taxable","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-simple"},"group_of_quantity":0,"min_quantity":0,"max_quantity":"","exclude_order_quantity_value_rules":"no","exclude_category_quantity_rules":"no","combine_variations":"no","exclude_global_add_ons":[],"addons":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product\/2651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=2651"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=2651"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=2651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}