Bluehead Wrasse
From Microcosm Aquarium Explorer
This active, eyecatching fish will add swooping flights of swimming action as well as color to the aquarium. Scott W. Michael
[edit] Overview
The Bluehead Wrasse is a very active species that will dash about the aquarium and deserves plenty of swimming room. In a small tank, it will swim incessantly from one end of the tank to the other. It will feed out of the water column and off the substrate. Rather than bury under the sand, it hides in reef crevices during the night.
Family: Labridae
Other common name(s):
- Bluehead
Native range:
Habitat: Reef. Swimming space is very important as is the availablity of rocky nooks where it can dive into shelter. Juveniles will live among the tentacles of the Pink-tipped Sea Anemone (Condylactis gigantea).
Maximum length: 18 cm (7 in)
Minimum aquarium size: 285 L (75 gal)
Water: Marine 24 °C (297 K, 75 °F) - 28 °C (301 K, 82 °F)
General swimming level: All levels.
[edit] Feeding
Carnivore. Feed meaty foods, several times a day.
[edit] Aquarium Compatibility
Initial phase individuals (which are yellow and can be juveniles, females or males) are usually amicable, but terminal phase males (green with a blue head) may chase smaller zooplankton feeders (small anthias, flasher wrasses, firefishes, dart gobies). Keep only one terminal male per tank, but you can house the initial phase fish together and/or with a single male. In some cases, yellow-phased individuals may change into terminal males. While young fish are not a threat to most ornamental invertebrates, adults may eat shrimps, small crabs, a variety of worms, and serpent stars.
[edit] Breeding/Propagation
Egg scatterers that produce pelagic eggs, often in midwater mating rituals. Both eggs and larvae that drift with plankton in the water column and settle back onto a reef at about the time of metamorphosis. These are among the most challenging types of marine fishes to propagate in captivity.
[edit] Notes
This species is a real jumper—an aquarium top is a must.
| Common name | Bluehead Wrasse +, and Bluehead + |
| Family | Labridae + |
| Genus | Thalassoma + |
| Image credit | SWM + |
| Maximum length | 7 in + |
| Minimum aquarium size | 75 gal + |
| Native range | Caribbean +, Western Atlantic +, Bermuda +, Florida +, Gulf of Mexico +, and South America + |
| Reference | 101 Best Saltwater Fishes + |
| Specific name | bifasciatum + |
| Swimming level | All levels. + |
| Text credit | SWM + |
| Water max temp | 301 K (28 °C, 82 °F) + |
| Water min temp | 297 K (24 °C, 75 °F) + |
| Water type | Marine + |