All fish / Labridae

Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse

Cirrhilabrus lubbocki

Also known as lubbock's fairy wrasse, lubbocki wrasse, lubbock wrasse, lubbock's wrasse, lubbocki fairy wrasse, ルボッキー, ルボックス・フェアリーラス, 卢氏丝隆头鱼, 卢伯克仙女隆头鱼

A small, slim fairy wrasse in which males show a pinkish to red body with a yellow head and back and violet edging to the fins, flaring a long dorsal fin when displaying. It is kept for its bright colours, constant open-water swimming and good behaviour with corals and invertebrates in reef tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

8 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

Diet

Carnivore: small zooplankton, mysis, brine shrimp, copepods, quality frozen and pellet foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 6 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Philippines, Indonesia (Sulawesi, Moluccas), Malaysia

Breeding

It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, so females can change into males, and pairs spawn in open water with pelagic eggs. Spawning displays are common in tanks, but rearing the tiny larvae is very difficult and rarely achieved.

Good to know

Fairy wrasses are expert jumpers, so a tight-fitting lid or mesh cover is essential. Avoid housing two males together in small tanks, and feed several times a day as it grazes on tiny organisms.