Range: South Pacific Ocean: Easter Islands to New Caledonia and Australia

Size: Up to 10 in (25 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabit rocky areas on inshore reefs

General Husbandry: Has a temperature range of 72 - 83°F (22 - 28°C) and has a natural diet of zooplankton, benthic invertebrate and some algae. Requires a mostly meaty diet, e.g., fortified brine shrimp, mysis, black worms, other meaty type frozen foods and some small amounts of green foods with two or three feedings per day. May be very difficult to get feeding in the beginning, and if so, try some live foods such as black worms. Should only be kept in aquaria with a deep sandbed as they bury themselves at night, and when so, may disturb bottom dwelling corals such as brain corals. Provide a fine-grained substrate of at least 4 inches (10 cm) in depth. These wrasses should be considered marginal reef or fish-only aquarium fishes, as they can be difficult to maintain for any length of time. Timid and not often seen in the trade. One male per tank

Aquarium Suitability: * & * *