Blue-tail Wrasse

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Southern subtropical Pacific. Inhabits outer reef lagoons rich in corals and deep sandy channels exposed to constant currents down to 30 meters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Belongs to the family Labridae. Reaches about 24 cm. Elongated oval body, mouth equipped with small protruding incisors to prey on small invertebrates.

Social Behavior: Peaceful but extremely shy and delicate during introduction. Spends the night and moments of stress completely buried in the sand.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Spectacular sexual dimorphism. Females present bright orange longitudinal stripes on a neon-blue background and a blue tail. Males have a green head and deep orange body. One of the most stunning species.

Aquarium Setup: Requires very large, mature aquariums of at least 380 liters (100 gallons) with a fine sand bed at least 10 cm (4 inches) deep. Live rock rich in biodiversity.

Diet and Feeding: Carnivore. Very demanding. Feed repeatedly during the day with live copepods, vitamin-enriched frozen mysis, and brine shrimp.

Water Quality: Temperature 20-27°C (68-80°F, prefers slightly cooler water), pH 7.8-8.5, specific gravity 1.020-1.026. Total chemical stability is essential.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Reef-safe with caution. Safe with corals, but may feed on small tubeworms, crustaceans, and small mollusks.

Aquarium Reproduction: Reproduction is not recorded in domestic captivity due to the complexity of pelagic larval rearing.

Risks and Diseases: Significant jump risk if startled; the tank must be completely sealed. Highly sensitive to snout abrasions during digging.