Blueside Fairy Wrasse

Size: 6 inches (15 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits rocky bottoms along edges of lagoons, channels, and outer reef slopes at depths usually between 15 to 65 feet (5 – 20 m) where it remains in close contact with bottom areas. Feeds on zooplankton.

General Husbandry: Occasionally available in the trade, with the male having bluish frontal body, with the aft body reddish and sometimes with a yellow patch just behind the pectoral fins. Females tend to be reddish overall.

Can be maintained in reef or fish-only aquariums that should have ample crevices and caves, and peaceful tankmates.

As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, e.g., finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., and should be offered two to three times daily.

Sometimes difficult to get feeding, and if so, fortified live adult brine shrimp may be necessary to get them feeding.

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Labroidei

Family: Labridae

Genus: Cirrhilabrus

FYI: May hide for several days when first introduced, and also a good jumper, therefore covered aquariums, possibly with eggcrate, are necessary to prevent them from jumping out of the aquarium.

They don't bury themselves in the sand at night, as do many other wrasses. Instead, they may form a mucus cocoon similar to some parrotfishes and/or wedge themselves into a rock crevice. It should be noted the cocoon remnants do not seem to harm water quality or other aquarium inhabitants.

Males tend to lose their color if females are not present.

Experience Level: Beginner

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5