Red-fin Fairy Wrasse
Cirrhilabrus adornatus
The Red-fin Fairy Wrasse is a peaceful, dynamic fish from Indonesia. Males display bright red fins. It forms harems and requires tight-fitting lids due to its high jumping risk.
Température de l’eau
22 - 26 °C
Valeur du pH
8.1 - 8.4
Type d'eau
Marin
Niveau dans le bac
Surface et milieu
Taille adulte
7 cm
Volume minimal du bac
>= 120 L
Groupe minimal
>= 1
Description de l'espèce
Geographical Origin and Habitat: This species is native to the Western Central Pacific Ocean, specifically concentrated around Western Sumatra, Indonesia. It inhabits sheltered coral reefs, coastal lagoons, and outer reef slopes at depths ranging from 10 to 30 meters, where currents are moderate.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the Labridae family, genus Cirrhilabrus. It features a slender, fusiform, streamlined body adapted for active open-water swimming. It has large eyes and a terminal mouth with fine teeth for catching plankton. Grows to a maximum length of about 7-8 centimeters.
Social Behavior: Peaceful, active, and social. In the wild, they live in small groups consisting of a dominant male and multiple females. Males are competitive but non-violent, displaying spectacular flashing behaviors by extending their fins to court females and deter rivals.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Sexual dimorphism is highly pronounced. Males exhibit a pale white to greyish body with a bright red dorsal area, and bold red patches on their dorsal and pelvic fins. Females are smaller and mostly pinkish-orange, with plain fins and a small black spot on the caudal peduncle.
Soins, reproduction et cohabitation
Aquarium Setup: Requires a marine tank of at least 120-150 liters. Provide a sandy substrate and plenty of live rock arranged with caves and crevices for shelter, especially for sleeping at night. A tight-fitting lid or mesh screen is mandatory to prevent them from jumping out.
Diet and Feeding: Planctivorous carnivore. Feed a varied diet at least twice daily. Offer frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, lobster eggs, and high-quality marine pellets or flakes. Vitamin supplements can help maintain their brilliant coloration.
Water Quality: Demands high-quality, stable water parameters. Temperature 22 to 26 °C, pH 8.1 to 8.4, and specific gravity 1.020 to 1.025. Efficient protein skimming, carbon filtration, and good water movement are necessary to maintain oxygen levels.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: Excellent addition to reef aquariums as they are reef-safe and do not harm corals or sessile invertebrates. House with peaceful tankmates. Avoid housing multiple males together unless the tank is very large, and avoid overly aggressive species.
Aquarium Breeding: Protogynous hermaphrodite. Females can transition to males if the dominant male dies. Spawning is pelagic and has not been successfully achieved in home aquariums due to larval rearing difficulties.
Risks and Diseases: Jumps easily when startled or during displays, making tank coverage the primary safety measure. Generally hardy, but can suffer from skin parasites if stressed or acclimated poorly. A quarantine period is highly recommended.
Origine et répartition géographiques
This species is native to the Western Central Pacific Ocean, specifically concentrated around Western Sumatra, Indonesia. It inhabits sheltered coral reefs, coastal lagoons, and outer reef slopes at depths ranging from 10 to 30 meters, where currents are moderate.
Origine
Cosmopolite ou introduitAmérique du NordAsie du Sud et du Sud-EstOcéans tropicaux et récifs
Profil de poisson
- Tempérament
- Active
- Renowned for their wonderfully peaceful and gregarious temperament, they rarely ever bother other species within the aquarium setting. They can sometimes be slightly shy when initially introduced, demanding a peaceful acclimation period away from aggressive bullies. Once fully settled and comfortable, their bold, constantly active, and visually striking swimming patterns bring incredible life to the display tank. Although males may actively flash and chase each other to establish dominance, this behavior is rarely harmful if the tank is sufficiently spacious.
- Régime alimentaire
- Carnivore
- They are quintessential zooplanktivores in the wild, spending their days actively plucking tiny crustaceans and plankton directly from the water currents. In the home aquarium, they eagerly accept a remarkably wide variety of meaty foods, including mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and high-quality marine flakes. Providing a diversified diet enhanced with vitamins and color-enhancing additives is crucial for maintaining their brilliantly intense coloration. They are generally aggressive eaters and will readily learn to feed from the aquarist's hand or an automated feeder.
- Espérance de vie
- 5-8 years
- Taille adulte
- 7 cm
- Ratio des sexes
- Harem
- They are fascinating protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning every single individual is born female and dominant females will naturally transition into males if the social hierarchy dictates. They are exceptionally well-suited to being kept in beautiful harems consisting of one spectacular male and several subordinate females. Keeping multiple males of the precise same species is generally unadvised as it can trigger severe, potentially lethal territorial disputes. Interestingly, the mere presence of multiple females often encourages the lone male to continuously display his most vibrant, terminal-phase colors.
- Fréquence d'alimentation
- 2-3 times daily
- To optimally sustain their high energy levels and rapid metabolism, they require frequent feedings of small portions throughout the day. It is highly recommended to feed them at least two to three times daily with a mix of high-quality frozen and prepared foods. Insufficient feeding frequency can quickly lead to noticeable weight loss and a distressing fading of their normally vibrant colors. Using an automatic feeder to dispense small amounts of pellets during the day can greatly assist in meeting their immense dietary needs.
- Charge biologique
- Low to Medium
- Fairy wrasses contribute a moderate bioload to the aquarium system, primarily due to their highly active swimming nature and correspondingly high metabolic requirements. They consume significant amounts of food daily, which naturally translates into regular waste production. A capable biological filtration setup combined with a highly efficient protein skimmer is highly recommended to process their organic output. Maintaining a strict schedule of regular water changes is essential to keep nitrate and phosphate levels well within acceptable reef parameters.
- Courant
- Strong
- Coming from highly dynamic and energetic reef environments, they strongly prefer moderate to high water flow within the aquarium. Vigorous currents mimic their natural zooplankton-rich habitats and stimulate their natural, elegant swimming behaviors in the open water. Good circulation also ensures the water is highly oxygenated, which is absolutely vital for such active and fast-paced fish. Wavemakers should be utilized to create varied, turbulent flow patterns that prevent stagnant detritus buildup.
- Risque de saut
- Yes
- They possess a profound and well-documented tendency to jump out of the aquarium, especially when frightened, newly introduced, or chased by tank mates. Their incredible swimming speed easily translates into airborne leaps, making them one of the highest jump-risk species available in the hobby. A completely tight-fitting lid, completely enclosed canopy, or perfectly customized mesh screen is a non-negotiable, absolute requirement for keeping them. Even tiny gaps around return pipes or overflow boxes must be secured to prevent a tragic, fatal escape.
- Reproduction
- Oviparous
- They are pelagic spawners that engage in a stunning, complex, and highly coordinated upward mating dance toward the water's surface at dusk. The male dramatically flashes his most brilliant, iridescent colors to court females before simultaneously releasing gametes into the swift water column. While these breathtaking spawning behaviors are frequently observed in spacious home aquariums, successfully raising the fry is nearly impossible. The microscopic pelagic larvae require incredibly specialized rotifer diets and immense, highly specialized rearing vessels to survive past the first week.
- Compatibilité et compagnons
- Reef safe
- Known for their wonderfully peaceful and completely reef-safe demeanor, they are a phenomenal addition to most community marine aquariums. They generally ignore corals, sessile invertebrates, and ornamental shrimp, focusing their attention entirely on the water column. While highly compatible with a vast array of peaceful tank mates, males of the same or closely related species may exhibit flashy, harmless aggression. Mixing different species of fairy wrasses is often successful if they are introduced simultaneously or into a sufficiently large aquarium.
- Niveau dans le bac
- Top/Middle
- They are intensely active fish that predominantly inhabit the middle and upper levels of the aquarium's open water column. They are almost constantly in motion, gracefully weaving through the water as they scan for floating morsels of zooplankton. When night falls or when severely frightened, they will rapidly retreat downward to spin a protective, transparent mucus cocoon in the rockwork crevices. Providing ample, unobstructed swimming space above the aquascape is absolutely critical for their physical health and behavioral wellbeing.
Modèles et paramètres scientifiques
FishBase
Fenêtre sur les données scientifiques officielles de l’espèce
FishBase v25.04Données synchronisées le : 15/06/2026
- Niveau trophique
- 3,3 ± 0,4 se
- Résilience
- Élevée (moins de 15 mois)
- Singularité phylogénétique (PD50)
- 0.5
- Relation bayésienne longueur-poids
- a = 0.01072, b = 3.03
- VulnérabilitéVulnérabilité faible (10 / 100)
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