Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse

Description

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse, Paracheilinus flavianalis are a truly dazzling fish.

They have narrow, peach coloured bodies, that sport neon blue and red stripes. Pale bellies highlight their glamour, as do their large, colourful fins. Bright yellow anal and dorsal fins lend the fish its name. Males are distinguished by the long red spine on their back fin.

The name “Flasher wrasse” broadly describes the Paracheilinus genus. The name comes from distinctive courtship displays the males put on. The brightly coloured boys dart around, flashing their fins at potential partners. While keeping other males away by showing off their spine.

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse, Paracheilinus flavianalis, Ecology:

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse live in the Eastern Indian Ocean, between Australia and Indonesia.  They gather on seawards reefs, and dart amongst algae and rubble.

The complex habitat help the wrasse avoid predation. Unlike some species, these fish do not bury themselves to sleep or hide. Instead, they have quite a nifty trick. In order to sleep safely, Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse find a nook they like. They then envelope themselves in a protective mucus coat. Supposedly, this hides the wrasses scent from predators. These sticky invisibility cloaks do not degrade your water quality like some coral wax jackets’ might.

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse live in groups with one male to a few or more females. These fish are protogynous hermaphrodites. Which means that, when they get old enough, breeding females turn into a male. As a result, all juveniles are immature females.

Wrasse In the Aquarium:

It is important to imitate the natural environment, by making plenty of nooks and crannies for the fish to hide in. Hobbyists should invest in a jump guard to prevent any unfortunate mishaps.

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse 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.