All fish / Labridae

Red-lined wrasse

Halichoeres biocellatus

Also known as red lined wrasse, two-spot wrasse, biocellatus wrasse, twinspot wrasse, false-eyed wrasse, red-lined halichoeres, フタホシキュウセン, 双斑海猪鱼, 红线龙

A slim reef wrasse with green to bluish bars and red to orange stripes along the body, plus two dark eyespots on the dorsal fin in young fish and females. It is kept for its colour, constant activity and habit of picking at pests such as small worms and flatworms around the rockwork.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

11 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly, or one male with females in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: small crustaceans, mysis, brine shrimp, chopped seafood and quality pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 7 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Indonesia, Philippines, Ryukyu Islands to Great Barrier Reef, Fiji and Tonga

Breeding

It is a protogynous hermaphrodite that spawns in pairs in open water, releasing tiny pelagic eggs. Captive breeding is very rarely achieved because the larvae are small and hard to rear.

Good to know

Needs a deep sand bed of at least 5 cm, as it buries itself to sleep and when stressed, and a tight lid because it jumps. Generally reef safe with corals but will eat small shrimps, snails and other ornamental invertebrates.