Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea south to Natal South Africa, east to Bali and Indonesia

Size: Up to 4 in (10 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabit coastal slopes and drop-off areas in small aggregations, and usually dominated by one male

General Husbandry: Has a temperature range of 72 - 83°F (22 - 28°C) and has a natural diet of zooplankton and benthic invertebrate. Requires a meaty diet, including fortified brine shrimp, mysis, black worms and other meaty type frozen 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. Should only be kept in aquaria with a deep sandbed as they bury themselves at night, and when so, may often disturb bottom dwelling corals such as brain corals. Provide a fine-grained substrate of at least 3 inches (7.5 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.

Aquarium Suitability: * & * *