If you’re setting up a new aquarium and looking for the right fish to stock it with, you’ll almost inevitably stumble upon the scientific family Labridae: the wrasses. There are over 600 species of wrasse out there, and a fair few of them are popular in the aquarium trade. It’s not hard to see why: their bright colors and showy fins make them real eye-catchers.
It’s hard to pick favorites out of so many fish, but we’ve tried our best. Here are our 11 favorite types of wrasse for the aquarium, including some fun facts and how to care for them in your tank!
What’s a wrasse, anyway?
A wrasse (pronounced as “rass”—the name comes from an old word in Cornish, which was widely spoken in Britain before English became the standard language) is any fish belonging to the scientific family Labridae.
There are some 600 wrasses out there, with the largest one, the Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) reaching almost 8ft in length. Luckily not all of them are that big: many of these fish are quite manageable in size, not to mention very colorful, making them perfect additions to our saltwater aquariums.
With there being so many types of wrasses out there (over 80 genera!), it’s not a surprise that most specialized fish stores carry a bunch of different species. Most of them are known for their active nature, taste for bugs, and territorial attitude towards their own kind.
There’s absolutely no way we can describe all of them for you here, but we’ve made a valient effort to give you a picture of the colorful, wacky world of wrasses. Below, have a look at 11 of FantaSEA’s favorite wrasses from 6 different genera!
Top: Elegant Coris (Coris venusta) male and female
Bottom: Fivestripe wrasse (Thalassoma quinquevittatum; the author called it Julis güntheri, but that name never stuck).
Halichoeres wrasses
We’ve heard the wrasses of the genus Halichoeres referred to as the “perfect aquarium fish”, and we’re inclined to agree. Their colors, peaceful dispositions, and bug-eating capacities make them real winners.
💡 Be sure to provide a sandy substrate for your Halichoeres wrasse: they burrow when scared and to sleep.
Melanurus wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus)
Commonly known as both the Melanurus wrasse or the tail-spot wrasse, Halichoeres melanurus is one of the most colorful fish you’ll find at your local aquarium store. A tempting buy, and the good news is that you can indulge yourself without worry: this is a fantastic species for the saltwater aquarium.
At a maximum length of around 5”, the Melanurus wrasse won’t outgrow your aquarium like many of its bigger cousins will. It’s a relatively hardy fish that can be kept by beginners, and it’s not shy, meaning you’ll be able to enjoy watching it zip around the tank in search of small crustaceans and other tasty bugs.
Melanurus wrasses are mostly reef safe. Because they have such a big appetite for various creepy crawlies, they can actually help to keep populations of annoying aquatic parasites, unwelcome hitchhikers, and pests under control. Do keep in mind that like all wrasses, these are jumpers, so a lidless aquarium is not going to work for them!
You can find out all about this dazzling fish in the full Melanurus wrasse care guide.
| Difficulty level | Easy |
| Min. tank size | 55 gallons |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
Canary Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus)
We probably don’t have to explain where this one got its name—those yellows are practically blinding! The canary wrasse is the second most popular Halichoeres wrasse in the aquarium trade, and it’s not difficult to see why.
It’s not just the species’ colors either: like Melanurus wrasses, these canary-yellow fish are considered hardy and suitable for beginners. Growing to a maximum length of around 5″, they don’t need a huge tank to thrive, and they’re not too expensive to buy either.
The canary yellow wrasse requires standard Halichoeres care. It likes a sandy substrate for burrowing, multiple feedings of meaty foods a day (in addition to what it can scrounge from your live rock), and does well with most types of peaceful tankmates.
Just don’t combine this species with other wrasses, as wrasses in general can’t stand their own kind—nor anything that looks similar!
| Difficulty level | Easy |
| Min. tank size | 55 gallons |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
Checkerboard wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus)
As with the canary wrasse, we probably don’t have to explain where the checkerboard wrasse got its name. In terms of color (spectacular) and bug-eating capacity (spectacular) this is a typical Halichoeres wrasse, but it does grow more than twice as large as its aforementioned cousins: up to 11″ in length.
With increased size apparently comes increased aggression, and we can’t classify the checkerboard wrasse as entirely peaceful. Larger specimens especially can become bullies, and they may develop a taste for larger motile invertebrates like cleaner shrimp and crabs.
The advantage of its feisty disposition is that this species is better able to hold its own with similarly large and assertive fish species. It’s still not the ideal choice for an aggressive tank, but it should do fine with somewhat bold tankmates like tangs and larger angelfish.
| Difficulty level | Easy-intermediate |
| Min. tank size | 125 gallons |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive |
Other Halichoeres wrasses
If none of these three Halichoeres species is for you, why not check out some of the other members of this genus that are commonly kept in the aquarium?
- Halichoeres iridis: the radiant wrasse
- Halichoeres ornatissimus: the ornate wrasse
- Halichoeres claudia: Claudia’s wrasse*
- Halichoeres grypus: the yellowhead wrasse
- Halichoeres leucoxanthus: the canarytop wrasse
*also sometimes called the Christmas wrasse, but that common name is used for a bunch of species, so it’s more confusing than anything else.
Pseudocheilinus wrasses
Does your tank lack space for a Halichoeres wrasse? That’s OK. Why not choose one of the smaller but equally colorful Pseudocheilinus wrasses, which share many of their positive characteristics?
💡 Pseudocheilinus wrasses may be small, but they have a temper. To help prevent issues, make yours the last fish you introduce to your aquarium. This way it can’t establish a territory and become protective of it, which can help disperse any aggression.
Six line wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)
The genus Pseudocheilinus contains a number of wrasses that work well in the aquarium. They’re colorful, love eating all sorts of bugs, and don’t tend to bother your corals, making them reef safe.
Our personal favorite is the six line wrasse, a colorful little fish in shades of orange, yellow and bright blue. At a maximum size of around 4” this species is perfect for aquariums of 30 gallons and up. It’s nice and hardy, and its typical wrasse diet of small invertebrates makes it the perfect candidate to pick off annoying pyramidellid snails and other pests.
As mentioned above, one downside of six line wrasses (and members of the genus Pseudocheilinus in general) is their temper. They are not suitable to keep with slow-moving tankmates, because these are easily outcompeted or even bullied to death.
| Difficulty level | Intermediate |
| Min. tank size | 30 gallons |
| Temperament | Spicy; can be a bully |
Disappearing wrasse (Pseudocheilinus evanidus)
The pretty red disappearing wrasse is naturally found on deeper reefs in the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea all the way to Hawaii. It lends its name from its secretive nature: Pseudocheilinus wrasses in general are known to dart into cracks and caves in the reef at the slightest danger, but this one can be particularly hard to spot.
Luckily, in your aquarium, you should see your disappearing wrasse regularly. Remember to provide plenty of cover in the form of live rock: the more opportunities to hide you give your fish, the more likely it is to feel safe enough to venture out into the open.
Remember that the disappearing wrasse has that feisty personality typical for Pseudocheilinus wrasses. It may bother its tankmates, especially those that resemble wrasses. On the upside, it’s also a champion bug eater that should be quick to get rid of any annoying pests that may be present in your tank.
| Other common names | Secretive wrasse, scarlet pinstripe wrasse, striated wrasse |
| Difficulty level | Intermediate |
| Min. tank size | 30 gallons |
| Temperament | Spicy; can be a bully |
Other Pseudocheilinus wrasses
There are a few other beautiful species to be found in the genus Pseudocheilinus, although the six line is by far the most common in the aquarium hobby.
Some of these wrasses aren’t very creatively named:
- Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia: the four line wrasse
- Pseudocheilinus octotaenia: the eight line wrasse
- Pseudocheilinus ocellatus: the mystery wrasse
- Pseudocheilinops ataenia: the pink-streaked wrasse
Leopard (Macropharyngodon) wrasses
💡 Leopard wrasses are often mentioned as one of the only fish to eat certain snails in the Pyramidellidae family that are known to attack Tridacna clams, a genus of large colorful clams popular for the aquarium.
Not true! Many of the other wrasses on this list will also consume these pesky little clam-eating snails. But if you’re experienced enough, you might want to choose a leopard anyway… their patterns are truly something else.
Black-spotted leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon meleagris)
Whew, every time you thought we’d covered all the amazing wrasse colors and patterns out there, they surprise you again! This reticulated fish is appropriately known as the leopard wrasse. Despite the fact that it’s not a suitable species for beginning aquarists, it’s popular in the trade thanks to its striking appearance.
So why is the leopard wrasse so difficult to keep, and why should you only get one if you’re an experienced aquarist? After all, they’re not very big (up to around 6″), nor are they particularly aggressive (in fact, they’re considered peaceful except when confronted with other wrasse species).
Well, first off, like the Halichoeres wrasses, these are burrowers. They become stressed if you don’t provide a deep layer of super-fine sand throughout the tank that they can dart into when scared or to sleep. And that’s not their only requirement: leopard wrasses also need a VERY large amount of live rock to use as their hunting grounds.
Secondly, there’s the required feeding frequency. Many wrasses prefer to eat many small meals throughout the day, rather than one or two large ones, but this one will actually die if it isn’t fed up to five times a day. It’s ultra-picky, too, often spitting out and refusing to eat perfectly good foods.
Your best bet is to keep your leopard wrasse in a tank with a nice big refugium that you can breed live copepods and other bugs in. They don’t always accept frozen foods and will usually ignore commercial pellets and flakes entirely.
| Other common names | (Black spot) leopard wrasse, guineafowl wrasse, reticulated wrasse |
| Difficulty level | Hard |
| Min. tank size | 100 gallons |
| Temperament | Mostly peaceful |
Other leopard wrasses
Be sure to have a look at some of the other species in this genus. Leopard wrasses are seriously spectacular fish to look at!
- Macropharyngodon kuiteri: Kuiter’s wrasse
- Macropharyngodon bipartitus: the blue star leopard wrasse
- Macropharyngodon ornatus: the ornate leopard wrasse
- Macropharyngodon negrosensis: the black leopard wrasse
Rainbow (Coris) wrasses
💡 Baby wrasses of the genus Coris like to cosplay as clownfish. As adults, all the species have their own dazzling colors and patterns. When they’re still small, though, they’re generally orange in color with white vertical bars outlined in black.
This dramatic physical change between young and adult colors is not uncommon in saltwater fish.
Red Coris wrasse (Coris gaimard)
Wrasses never fail to dazzle, and the red Coris wrasse is no exception! They’re easy to recognize by their bright orange-red face, which fades into a darker body sprinkled with bright blue polka dots and abruptly ends in a bright yellow tail.
Naturally found in the Indo-Pacific, the red Coris wrasse is not a small fish. Although it doesn’t tend to grow quite as large in the aquarium as it does in the wild, it can still reach a good 10″ in length. Like other wrasses, it’s also highly active, so we don’t recommend this species for smaller tanks.
You should always keep a red Coris wrasse on a sandy substrate; crushed coral is too rough and is sometimes thought to be the cause of high mortality in certain burrowing wrasse species, including this one.
A FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) tank works best, as these large fish aren’t really reef safe. They can become more aggressive as they age, so don’t keep them with timid tankmates.
| Other common names | Yellowtail wrasse, clown wrasse |
| Difficulty level | Intermediate-hard |
| Min. tank size | 125 gallons |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive |
Other Coris wrasses
There’s a bit of confusion in the hobby about Coris wrasses. Some of the common Halichoeres species that we saw earlier, like the canary wrasse (incorrectly called yellow Coris sometimes), are regularly referred to as if they’re members of the genus Coris, which they’re not. The Halichoeres wrasses are smaller and easier to handle.
This being said, the genus Coris does contain some true beauties that the dedicated aquarist can keep in a larger aquarium. The aforementioned red Coris is the smallest and most manageable species, but you may also come across:
- Coris formosa: the queen Coris
- Coris venusta: the elegant Coris
- Coris aygula: the clown Coris
Thalassoma wrasses
💡 One of the most well-known of the Thalassoma wrasses is the ornate wrasse, Thalassoma pavo (“pavo” means “peacock”). We see them often when diving or snorkeling in the Mediterranean and western Atlantic.
Unfortunately, this species requires cool water, which is not very common in the aquarium hobby.
Sunset wrasse (Thalassoma lutescens)
The most popular of the Thalassoma wrasses is this one: the sunset wrasse. This species is also known as the banana wrasse, a common name that can seem illogical until you see the bright yellow females. In fact, female sunset wrasses can be difficult to tell apart from the canary wrasse, which we discussed in the section on Halichoeres!
Sunset wrasses are a common sight in the aquarium hobby, but they’re not for everyone. The species is not reef-safe, can be semi-aggressive, and needs a sandy substrate to burrow in. It’s also quite large, with some specimens reaching over 10″ in length.
So why would anyone want to keep this wrasse? Well, look at those colors! And additionally, this is just a very fun fish to watch. It’s highly active and rarely sits still—except when it’s buried in the substrate to sleep, of course. If you’re looking to add some liveliness to your large FOWLR tank, this wrasse might just be the right choice for you.
| Other common names | Banana wrasse, yellow-brown wrasse |
| Difficulty level | Intermediate |
| Min. tank size | 125 gallons |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive |
Klunzinger’s wrasse (Thalassoma rueppellii)
Say hello to another veritable aquatic rainbow! The dazzling Klunzinger’s wrasse, which is naturally found in the Red Sea, is a popular choice for the aquarium thanks to its stunning pattern of blues, greens, reds, and yellows.
This is one of the more aggressive wrasses on the list, so it’s a good idea to combine it with similarly assertive tankmates. Remember that it will also eat invertebrates, although it’s not known to bother corals too much in its search for tasty morsels.
Like most of its Thalassoma cousins, this fish needs a large tank to thrive. At a maximum length of around 8″ it’s not the biggest wrasse on this list, but it has that typical super-high wrasse activity level and needs lots of room to be able to swim around to its heart’s content.
| Other common names | Rüppell’s wrasse |
| Difficulty level | Intermediate |
| Min. tank size | 100 gallons |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive |
Other Thalassoma wrasses
Various other Thalassoma wrasses tend to make their way into aquarium stores. You can usually recognize them by the colorful stripes on their faces.
Keep an eye out for:
- Thalassoma bifasciatum: the bluehead wrasse
- Thalassoma lunare: the moon wrasse
- Thalassoma lucasanum: Cortez rainbow wrasse
Remember, all of these fish are aggressive and grow large!
Fairy (Cirrhilabrus) wrasses
💡 We’ve saved some of the absolute best for last. Fairy wrasses, especially the males, are truly dazzling fish. They’re also generally peaceful and don’t grow too large.
A genus to consider!
Rose-band fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus roseafascia)
Most of the wrasses we’ve discussed so far are relatively common sights in the aquarium trade. This one isn’t: it wasn’t scientifically described until 1982 and never really became common in the hobby, likely because it occurs in deeper waters than most other reef fish and is therefore a bit more difficult to come by.
Known as the rose-band fairy wrasse, we nevertheless wanted to include this fish, because it’s simply stunning! At a mature size of 5″, it’s also significantly smaller than the Thalassoma wrasses we discussed above. As such, it’ll do well in tanks of 70 gallons or up.
Because it’s relatively rare, not that much is out there about this wrasse. As far as we’re aware, it’s mostly peaceful and not known to be a fussy eater. It should technically be suitable for beginners, but given its price tag, maybe it’s better to give this one a miss until you’ve got some experience.
| Difficulty level | Intermediate |
| Min. tank size | 70 gallons |
| Temperament | Mostly peaceful |
Longfin fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis)
If the rose-band fairy wrasse above is still too big (or too expensive!) for your tank, maybe the smaller and more common longfin fairy wrasse is a better choice for you. It’s no less spectacular to look at, that’s for sure: the males don’t just sport bright orange-red bodies, but also long, showy fins dotted with bright blue.
Often the most beautiful fish always seem to be disappointingly difficult to keep, but luckily this doesn’t apply to the longfin fairy wrasse at all. If you’ve never kept wrasses before, this is a great species to start with: it’s peaceful, reef safe, and suitable for smaller aquariums at a maximum length of only 3”.
Longfin fairy wrasses have big appetites, so you’ll see yours them actively scout the aquarium in search of copepods and other tasty morsels. Be sure to feed these fish multiple times daily to support their appetites, as our aquariums usually don’t contain enough critters to maintain even a small wrasse.
| Difficulty level | Easy |
| Min. tank size | 30 gallons |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
Other fairy wrasses
Cirrhilabrus wrasses are highly sought after, and it’s not difficult to see why. There’s no shortage of fantastic fish in this genus! We love their smaller size and dazzling colors.
Why not check out:
- Cirrhilabrus lineatus: the purple lined wrasse
- Cirrhilabrus lubbocki: Lubbock’s fairy wrasse
- Cirrhilabrus isosceles: the pintail fairy wrasse
- Cirrhilabrus naokoae: Naoko’s fairy wrasse
- Cirrhilabrus exquisitus: the exquisite fairy wrasse
- Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis: the orange back fairy wrasse
BONUS: Bluestreak cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)
Did you know that one of the most well-known and ubiquitous wrasses in the aquarium trade is one that’s unsuitable for 99% of tanks? The bluestreak cleaner wrasse really speaks to the imagination: a fearless little fish that darts in and out of the fang-studded mouths of predators fifty times its size.
Unlike many cleaner fish, who treat cleaning as a part-time job that allows them to enjoy some extra food from time to time, bluestreak cleaner wrasses are obligate cleaners. They feed exclusively on the parasites, damaged scales, and other bits they pick off their clients: it’s pretty much impossible to get them to eat anything else.
You probably see the issue here. Only in very large, very established reef systems (and public aquariums) will an obligate cleaner wrasse like this one be able to find enough food to survive. As a result, the vast majority of them starves within a few months. An amazing fish, but not one we recommend buying for your tank!
You can read more about this fascinating fish in the full bluestreak cleaner wrasse guide.
| Difficulty level | EXPERT ONLY |
| Min. tank size | 110+ gallons |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
Conclusion
There are many beautiful wrasse species out there in the aquarium trade. This list doesn’t even begin to cover all of them! If we missed your favorite, feel free to give it an honorable mention in the comments below.
If you’re not sure how to go about choosing the right fish to go with your wrasses or which wrasse suits your aquarium in the first place, why not leave things to us? FantaSEA designs, builds and maintains aquariums so all you have to do is enjoy your tank. Contact us with your ideas today!
PS: The fish pictured at the top of this article is called Halichoeres chrysotaenia or the Vrolik’s wrasse. It’s sometimes kept in the aquarium, but alas, if we wanted to include all the beautiful wrasses here we’d need to write an eBook!
Sources
Randall, J. E., & Lubbock, R. (1982). Three new labrid fishes of the genus Cirrhilabrus from the Southwestern Pacific. Bishop Museum Press.
