All fish / Labridae

Goldbar Wrasse

Thalassoma hebraicum

Also known as goldbar wrasse, gold-bar wrasse, hebrew wrasse, gold bar wrasse, hebraicum wrasse, 希伯来锦鱼

A fast, slender wrasse with a green to blue body crossed by a bright yellow bar behind the head, plus blue and orange markings on the head. It is kept for its striking colour and constant active swimming in large fish-only systems.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

500 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, krill, chopped seafood, pellets and small crustaceans

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Indian Ocean: East Africa, Red Sea fringe, Madagascar, Mascarenes, Maldives and Chagos

Breeding

It spawns in pairs or groups in open water and releases pelagic eggs. It changes sex from female to male. Captive breeding is essentially unknown in home aquariums.

Good to know

It grows large, is boisterous and will eat small fish, shrimps, crabs and snails, so it is not reef safe for invertebrates. Use a tight lid because it jumps, and keep it with robust tankmates only.