Lunare Wrasse
From Microcosm Aquarium Explorer
A dashing, athletic fish with colors as bold as its personality. Scott W. Michael
Overview
This glorious, energetic fish can become a very personable pet while adding color and constant action to a boisterous marine community tank.
Family: Labridae
Other common name(s):
- Moon Wrasse
Native range:
- Indo-Pacific
- Red Sea
- East Africa
- Line Islands
- Japan
- Lowe Howe Island
- New Zealand
Habitat: Reef or reef-sand interface. Provide swimming space and places to hide when the fish is threatened.
Maximum length: 25 cm (10 in)
Minimum aquarium size: 380 L (100 gal)
Water: Marine 24 °C (75 °F) - 28 °C (82 °F)
General swimming level: All levels.
Feeding
Carnivore. Feed meaty foods, at least twice a day. Regular meals of color-enhancing rations will be beneficial.
Aquarium Compatibility
Juveniles usually do not cause problems with other fish species, although they may pick on more diminutive tankmates —especially in a smaller tank. As it grows, a Lunare Wrasse becomes an even greater threat to a variety of fishes. It may even eat smaller or more elongated species. Do not keep it with passive fishes (anthias, chromis, dartfishes, worm gobies). Larger individuals are also a threat to smaller, mild-mannered wrasses. Keep only one per tank. This species will feed on a variety of mobile invertebrates, including small snails, shrimps, crabs, small hermit crabs, serpent stars, small sea stars, and small urchins. It is unsuited to most reef aquariums but will not bother soft or stony corals.
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.
Notes
The Lunare Wrasse is an active species that will spend most of its time swimming around the tank hunting food. This athletic species will jump from an open aquarium.