All fish / Labridae

Flame Fairy Wrasse

Cirrhilabrus jordani

Also known as flame wrasse, jordan's fairy wrasse, hawaiian flame wrasse, flame fairy wrasse, jordani wrasse, フレームフェアリーラス, 火焰仙女, 乔氏丝隆头鱼

Males are a vivid flame red on the upper body fading to yellow below, with a tall red dorsal fin, while females are paler pinkish orange. It is a prized, reef safe wrasse that swims actively in open water and leaves corals and invertebrates alone.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 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

5 to 8 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Hawaiian Islands (endemic)

Breeding

It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, so females can turn into males, and pairs spawn in the water column at dusk with males displaying brightly. Eggs and larvae are pelagic and captive rearing is very rarely achieved.

Good to know

A good jumper, so a tight lid is essential; it is costly because collection in Hawaii is limited and restricted. Keep away from large aggressive tankmates such as dottybacks and big wrasses.