Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus

Randall & Nagareda 2002

Deepwater Wrasse, Hooded Fairy Wrasse

Range: Western Pacific Ocean: Coral Sea.

Size: 3 inches (7 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits deeper areas of lagoons containing rubble and usually found at depths between 200 – 700 feet (60– 210 m) where it feeds on zooplankton.

General Husbandry: Occasionally available in the trade with the male, depending upon the area of collection, having a reddish orange body with a yellow belly and a black edge on the front dorsal and rear edge of the tail. Females tend to be reddish orange with a white belly and no black edging on the dorsal or tail.

Best maintained in a dimly lit fish-only aquarium, yet can be maintained in a reef aquarium if given numerous rocky caves and hiding areas.

As to diet, will eat most regular aquarium foods, e.g., finely chopped various frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, squid, fish flesh, shrimp, clam, etc., and should be offered two to three times daily.

Sometimes difficult to get feeding, and if so, fortified live adult brine shrimp may be necessary to get them feeding.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Labroidei

Family: Labridae

Genus: Cirrhilabrus

FYI: May hide for several days when first introduced, and also a good jumper, therefore covered aquariums, possibly with eggcrate, are necessary to prevent them from jumping out of the aquarium.

They do not bury themselves in the sand at night, as do many other wrasses. Instead, they may form a mucus cocoon similar to some parrotfishes and/or wedge themselves into a rock crevice. It should be noted the cocoon remnants do not seem to harm water quality or other aquarium inhabitants.

Colors tend to fade in captivity.

Can be aggressive to other genera species or similar colored species.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons

Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5