All fish / Labridae

Claudia's Wrasse

Halichoeres claudia

Also known as claudia wrasse, claudia's wrasse, ornate wrasse, christmas wrasse, 克劳迪娅海猪鱼

A small, slim wrasse covered in rows of dark-edged pale and green spots, with males showing orange and pink markings on the head. It was long confused with the ornate wrasse, Halichoeres ornatissimus, and is kept for its colour, busy foraging and usefulness against small pests such as flatworms and bristleworms.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

11 cm

Temperature

24 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

Indo-Pacific: Cocos-Keeling, Indonesia, Fiji, Samoa, Line Islands and other Pacific islands

Breeding

A protogynous hermaphrodite that spawns in pairs or groups, releasing floating eggs into open water. It has rarely if ever been bred in home aquariums because the larvae are tiny and pelagic.

Good to know

Needs a deep sandy bed to bury itself at night and a tight lid, as it jumps. It may eat small ornamental shrimps and snails, so it is not fully reef safe for invertebrate collections.