Tail Spot Wrasse Male

Description

Tail Spot Wrasse Male, Halichoeres melanurus, also go by the name Hoeven’s Wrasse or Melanurus Wrasse. Vivid orange lines decorate these elegant creatures. A green dash streaks across their face, from their lips to underneath their eye.

Like all members of the Halichoeres genus, males and females are sexually dimorphic. Meaning they look different even though they are the same species. Some differences are more prominent than others. Females have pale bodies and two black spots along their dorsal. Males on the other hand, have deep blue bodies and very ornate fins.

Halichoeres wrasse are found in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. The etymology for the genus is ‘Salt’, (alis) and ‘Pig’ (choiros).

Tail Spot Wrasse Male, Halichoeres melanurus, Ecology:

These fish live in the Indo Pacific, Around: Japan, Australia, Indonesia and Samoa.

They live in rocky areas or on coral reefs. The complex structures in the habitat help the wrasse avoid predation. Failing that, Tail Spot Wrasse quickly vanish by burying themselves in the sand bed. These Wrasse live in social groups with one top male to a few or more females. Tail Spot Wrasse are also protogynous hermaphrodites. Which means when the dominant male perishes, the largest female in the group will turn male. It will then become the new breeding male. As a result, all juvenile Tail Spot Wrasse, are in fact immature females.

In the wild, these fish flit in amongst crevices, seeking out small invertebrates. Their eyes are disconjugate, making them incredibly effective hunters. They can also handle larger prey, thanks to their bashing technique. Where they chuck a prey item against rock to break it up.

Halichoeres wrasse could be helpful for dealing with pests. Such as nuisance snails, polychaete and nudibranchs, but may be risky with some kinds of ornamental critters. We recommend giving us a call to answer any compatibility questions you may have.

Hoeven’s Wrasse/ Melanurus Wrasse, In the Aquarium:

It is important to copy the natural environment by providing plenty of nooks and crannies. There should also be a good sand bed for the wrasse to hide and sleep in. Hobbyists should get a jump guard to stop any unfortunate losses.

Tail Spot Wrasse Male do best when fed a varied diet. They will accept enriched frozen mysis shrimp and enriched frozen brine shrimp. They will also devour live foods, such as copepods and amphipods, that can be cultivated in attached refugium. Over time they will accept high-quality pellet or flake. We adapt all our wrasse to aquarium life before they leave us. We focus on their health, and most are eating a good quality flake food and/or pellet, such as JBL Maris, before being offered for sale.

The Fish pictured here are representative only and the livestock you receive may vary in pattern, coloration, and shape.