Painted-tail wrasse

This species is native to the Western Atlantic Ocean. It is commonly found in the Gulf of Mexico, around Florida, the Bahamas, the Antilles, and along the northern coasts of South America down to Brazil. It inhabits outer coral reefs, rocky zones, and mixed sand-rubble areas at depths between 10 and 80 meters.

Belonging to the family Labridae, it features an elongated, moderately laterally compressed, and streamlined body. The head is conical with a slightly pointed snout and fleshy lips. Adults can reach a maximum length of approximately 18 centimeters. It possesses small anterior canine teeth used to capture small crustaceans.

It is an active, diurnal, and restless swimmer. It leads a solitary life or lives in small, loose groups over the reef. In the aquarium, it displays a peaceful temperament toward most tankmates, but it can show territorial behavior toward other wrasses of similar size if the tank is not large enough.

The body coloration is blue-gray or greenish with yellow or orange longitudinal stripes, and a distinctive dotted pattern on the tail fin. Adult males exhibit much more vibrant colors than females and juveniles, and they may develop a more rounded caudal fin.

Requires a marine aquarium of at least 300 liters to provide enough swimming space for its active nature. The absolute key requirement for keeping this fish is a substrate of fine sand at least 5-7 centimeters deep. This wrasse completely buries itself in the sand to sleep at night or when startled.

It is an active carnivore. The diet should consist of a variety of high-quality frozen foods such as mysis, brine shrimp, chopped krill, shrimp meat, and minced clams. It easily adapts to dry pellet or flake foods. Feeding twice a day is recommended to sustain its high activity level.

Requires stable and clean water parameters: temperature between 23°C and 26°C, pH between 8.1 and 8.4, specific gravity from 1.020 to 1.025, and a constant KH of 8-12 dKH. Nitrates should be kept below 20 ppm to maintain its health. An efficient filtration system and protein skimmer are required.

Reef safe with corals but not entirely safe with small benthic invertebrates. It may prey on small ornamental shrimps, tubeworms, and tiny hermit crabs. It coexists very well with tangs, clownfish, anthias, and other active reef species. Avoid housing with very slow or timid tankmates.

Breeding in home aquariums is extremely difficult, and there are no recorded instances of success. They are pelagic spawners that release their eggs into the water column. The larvae undergo a long planktonic phase requiring specialized food that is not available in standard closed systems.

The primary risk is the lack of a proper sandy substrate, which can cause physical trauma and severe stress if the fish tries to bury itself in coarse gravel. It is also an excellent jumper, so the aquarium must be tightly covered with a lid or mesh screen. It is moderately resistant to common diseases.