Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Labroides

Labroides bicolor

Fowler & Bean, 1928

Bicolor Cleaner Wrasse

Likely Reef Tank Suitable

Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: East Africa to the Line, Marquesas, and Society Islands, north to Southern Japan and south to Lord Howe Island.

Size: 6 inches (15 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits lagoons and seaward reefs where it sets up cleaning stations usually near large overhangs or caves near reef edges, and usually found at depths between 6 – 65 feet (2 – 20 m) where it cleans fishes of skin parasites and will also eat fish scales/ and fish mucus.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade with the males having a somewhat bluish head, black mid-body, and sometimes yellow aft body. Females tend to be greyish blue overall with a couple of black horizontal bands from the snout to central body, and possibility some yellow on the tail.

Usually does not fare well in aquariums, reef or fish-only, unless there is a large population of fishes willing to be cleaned. May accept some frozen meaty foodstuffs, such as adult brine shrimp and/or fortified adult live brine shrimp.

Taxonomy:

    Order: Perciformes

    Suborder: Labroidei

    Family: Labridae

    Genus: Labroides

FYI: An aggressive cleaner and will annoy tankmates.

Best left in the wild!

May jump out of uncovered aquariums.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Bothersome

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: With caution

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful

Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons

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

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5

 Labroides bicolor (Bicolor Cleaner Wrasse)
Photo © Bob Fenner
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