All fish / Labridae

Bluehead Wrasse

Thalassoma bifasciatum

Also known as bluehead wrasse, blue head wrasse, bluehead, blue-headed wrasse, yellowhead wrasse, bluehead thalassoma, ブルーヘッドラス, 蓝头锦鱼, 双带锦鱼

A slim, very active wrasse; young fish and females are yellow, often with a dark lateral stripe, while terminal-phase males have a bright blue head, a green body and black and white bars behind the head. Aquarists keep it for its striking colours, its hardiness and the constant movement it adds to large fish-only or reef tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

One male per tank, or a male with several females in a large system

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, krill, chopped seafood, quality marine pellets and flakes, fed several times a day

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Atlantic: Florida, Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean to northern South America

Breeding

It is a sequential hermaphrodite: females can turn into dominant males, and spawning happens in pairs or groups, with pelagic eggs released into the water column. Raising the larvae in captivity is rare and difficult.

Good to know

Sold with caution because it eats small crustaceans, snails and worms and can bully small or timid tankmates, so it needs plenty of swimming room and a tight lid as it may jump. Several Thalassoma species look similar when young, so check the identity before buying.