All fish / Labridae

Claire's Fairy Wrasse

Cirrhilabrus claire

Also known as claire's fairy wrasse, claires fairy wrasse, claire's wrasse, claire wrasse, mystery fairy wrasse, cook islands fairy wrasse, clairei wrasse, クレアズ・フェアリーラス, 克莱尔仙女隆头鱼

A rare, deep water fairy wrasse from the remote islands of the southern Pacific, with males showing a reddish to magenta body, yellow and purple markings and long, colourful fins. It is prized by reef keepers for its striking display colours and is reef safe, leaving corals and invertebrates alone.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

One male with one or more females; only one male per tank

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, enriched brine shrimp, copepods, finely chopped seafood and quality marine pellets, fed several times a day

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Southwest Pacific: Cook Islands, Austral Islands, Rapa, Pitcairn group

Breeding

Like other fairy wrasses it is a protogynous hermaphrodite, so females can change into males, and pairs spawn in the water column at dusk. Eggs and larvae are pelagic and tiny, so rearing in captivity is very difficult and has rarely, if ever, been achieved.

Good to know

Fairy wrasses are expert jumpers, so a tight fitting lid is essential; keep only one male unless the tank is very large. Collected in small numbers from remote localities, it is expensive and best acclimatised slowly as deep water fish can be delicate.