Earle's Fairy Wrasse
Cirrhilabrus earlei
A rare, deep-water fairy wrasse from the Western Pacific with brilliant pink and purple lines. Thriving in small harems, it requires a 150-200L tank, cool waters (22-25°C), and a secure canopy.
Temperatura da água
21 - 25 °C
Valor de pH
8.1 - 8.4
Tipo de água
Marinho
Nível do tanque
Meio
Tamanho adulto
7 cm
Volume mínimo do tanque
>= 150 L
Grupo mínimo
>= 1
Descrição da espécie
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the Western Central Pacific, specifically recorded around Palau and the Marshall Islands. It is a deep-water specialist, inhabiting outer reef slopes at depths of 60 to 120 meters, living among coral rubble fields and caves.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Belongs to the family Labridae and the genus Cirrhilabrus. Reaches a maximum adult length of about 7 to 10 centimeters. Features a torpedo-shaped body typical of fairy wrasses, with eyes adapted to low-light deep-reef habitats.
Social Behavior: Active, fast-swimming, and peaceful. Naturally lives in small harems consisting of one dominant male and several females. The male performs magnificent flash displays during courtship, temporarily changing color to attract mates.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Sexual dimorphism is highly prominent. Males feature a brilliant pink-orange body color with distinct horizontal purple-blue lines and a purple face mask. Females are smaller, with simpler pink coloration and thinner lines.
Cuidado, criação e companheiros de tanque
Aquarium Setup: An aquarium of at least 150-200 liters is required. Provide ample open water for active swimming alongside plenty of rock caves and overhangs. A secure, tight-fitting lid is absolutely mandatory, as this fish is an exceptional jumper.
Diet and Feeding: Planktonivorous carnivore. Requires a varied diet of high-quality frozen foods such as mysis shrimp, chopped krill, brine shrimp, and copepodi. Feed multiple small portions daily, as they have a high metabolism.
Water Quality: Demands pristine marine conditions: temperature kept cool at 22-25 °C, pH of 8.1-8.4, and salinity at 1.020-1.025. Since it is a deep-water species, moderate to dim lighting or shady areas within the tank are highly beneficial.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: Excellent candidate for reef tanks. It does not bother corals or small sessile invertebrates. Suitable tankmates include other peaceful wrasses, anthias, tangs, and clownfish; avoid aggressive or territorial fish.
Aquarium Breeding: Spawning in captivity is extremely rare and difficult. They are pelagic spawners, releasing gametes into the water column; raising the microscopic floating larvae requires highly specialized aquaculture facilities.
Risks and Diseases: The primary risk is jumping through small gaps in the cover. They are also sensitive to shipping stress and bacterial infections if water quality is poor. Ensure stable chemical parameters and proper quarantine.
Origem e distribuição geográfica
Native to the Western Central Pacific, specifically recorded around Palau and the Marshall Islands. It is a deep-water specialist, inhabiting outer reef slopes at depths of 60 to 120 meters, living among coral rubble fields and caves.
Origem
Oceanos tropicais e recifes
Perfil de peixe
- Temperamento
- Active
- The Cirrhilabrus earlei is widely known for its peaceful and somewhat timid demeanor. They make excellent additions to peaceful community tanks but can be easily intimidated by large, aggressive species. When kept in a suitable environment, they are incredibly active and outgoing, providing constant movement and vibrant flashes of color.
- Dieta
- Carnivore
- In the wild, the Cirrhilabrus earlei is predominantly a zooplanktivore that feeds continuously in the water column. In captivity, it adapts readily to a varied diet consisting of high-quality marine flakes, pellets, and frozen foods. Providing enriched mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and Calanus will help maintain its vibrant coloration and overall health.
- Expectativa de vida
- 5-8 years
- Tamanho adulto
- 7 cm
- Proporção sexual
- Harem
- A proper harem structure is the most natural way to keep the Cirrhilabrus earlei. It is generally recommended to keep one male with several females to disperse any potential aggression. Keeping multiple males of the same species usually results in intense fighting unless the aquarium is exceptionally large with ample hiding spaces.
- Frequência de alimentação
- 2-3 times daily
- Due to its active nature and small stomach, the Cirrhilabrus earlei should be fed small amounts multiple times a day. Two to three feedings per day are generally recommended to keep them in optimal condition. Infrequent feeding may lead to weight loss and a weakened immune system over time.
- Carga biológica
- Low to Medium
- The Cirrhilabrus earlei generally has a moderate bioload. These are highly active fish that require frequent feedings to sustain their high metabolic rate. Consequently, this leads to a proportional amount of waste being produced in the aquarium. Proper filtration and regular water changes are essential to maintain the pristine water quality they need.
- Fluxo
- Moderate
- The Cirrhilabrus earlei prefers moderate to strong water movement in the aquarium. This flow simulates their natural reef environment and encourages their natural swimming and foraging behaviors. Ensuring adequate flow also helps keep their preferred zooplankton foods suspended in the water column longer.
- Risco de salto
- Yes
- There is an extremely high risk of jumping associated with the Cirrhilabrus earlei. They are easily startled by sudden movements, changes in lighting, or aggressive tank mates, which often results in them darting towards the surface. A tight-fitting lid or fine mesh screen is absolutely mandatory to prevent them from leaping out of the aquarium.
- Reprodução
- Oviparous
- Like most wrasses, the Cirrhilabrus earlei is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning all individuals are born female. As they mature, the dominant female in a group will undergo a transformation into a male. Breeding in captivity is rare due to the complex pelagic larval stage, which requires specialized food and rearing conditions.
- Compatibilidade e companheiros de tanque
- Reef safe
- The Cirrhilabrus earlei is typically considered reef safe and a peaceful community fish. It will not bother corals, clams, or most ornamental invertebrates found in a reef tank. However, caution should be exercised when mixing them with other fairy wrasses or flasher wrasses, as males can become territorial towards similar species.
- Nível do tanque
- Middle
- The Cirrhilabrus earlei is primarily a mid-water swimmer that spends the majority of its time actively navigating the open water column. It will frequently dart in and out of the rockwork while searching for food or seeking refuge. At night, they secrete a mucus cocoon and sleep wedged within the crevices of the live rock.
Modelos e parâmetros científicos
FishBase
Acesso aos dados científicos oficiais da espécie
FishBase v25.04Dados sincronizados em: 15/06/2026
- Nível trófico
- 3,3 ± 0,4 se
- Resiliência
- Alta (menos de 15 meses)
- Unicidade filogenética (PD50)
- 0.5
- Relação bayesiana comprimento-peso
- a = 0.01072, b = 3.03
- VulnerabilidadeVulnerabilidade baixa (10 / 100)
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