All fish / Labridae

Melanurus wrasse

Halichoeres melanurus

Also known as hoeven's wrasse, hoeven wrasse, tail-spot wrasse, tailspot wrasse, orange-tail wrasse, pin-striped wrasse, melanurus wrasse, melanarus wrasse, ムナテンベラ, ikan keling, 黑尾海猪鱼, 黑尾儒艮鲷

A slim wrasse with bright blue and orange or green lengthwise stripes, with males showing a dark spot at the tail base and a yellow-orange tail edge. It is hardy, active and popular in reef tanks because it hunts nuisance pests such as flatworms and parasitic snails.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly or one male with several females

Diet

Carnivore: small crustaceans, mysis and brine shrimp, chopped seafood, quality pellets; picks off pests like flatworms and pyramidal snails

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Indonesia, Philippines, northern Australia, Melanesia to Samoa, north to Japan

Breeding

A protogynous hermaphrodite that spawns in pairs, scattering pelagic eggs. Captive breeding is rare, as the tiny larvae are hard to rear.

Good to know

Needs a deep soft sand bed of at least 5 cm to bury itself at night and when stressed, plus a tight lid as it jumps. It may eat small ornamental shrimps and snails, and males can quarrel, so keep only one male per tank.