GENUS CIRRHILABRUS (THE FAIRY WRASSES)
Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus. Photo by Scott W. Michael © 1998
The family Labridae is one of the most specious reef fish families. Many of its members, known commonly as wrasses, are beautiful, in both color and form, and display interesting behaviors. It should not be surprising then that many wrasses are highly desirable aquarium fishes. One of the most spectacular genera in this family are the fairy wrasses (Cirrhilabrus spp.). There have been many more fairy wrasse species available in the marine fish trade in the last few years (I have kept 21 of the 30 described species, and at least one undescribed form). One reason for their current popularity is because they are excellent reef tank residents. They will not harm sessile invertebrates, and the only motile invertebrate they are likely to harass are smaller, more delicate anemone shrimp (Periclimenes spp.), and even then, only when these crustaceans are introduced into a tank with an acclimated fairy wrasse. One thing the reef aquarist must be willing to do is to feed his or her fairy wrasse at least once (and preferably several times) a day. These fishes feed on zooplankton in the wild, and, unlike most wrasses, they do not feed as heavily on the minute invertebrates associated with live rock. If you do not feed your fairy wrasse often enough, it will lose weight and die.
There are 30 species of fairy wrasses that have been described to date and a number of others that are awaiting formal description. The three most recently described species are Conde’s Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus condei), Pyle’s Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus pylei), which was named after everyone’s favorite deep reef explorer and aquarist, Richard Pyle, and Walindi’s Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus walindi) (Randall and Allen 1996). All three of these species are known from reefs off the northeastern and northern coasts of New Guinea, where little if any fish collecting occurs. However, I acquired a Pyle’s Fairy Wrasse from my fellow fairy wrasse effinado, Dennis Reynolds owner of Aquamarines, that was supposedly collected in Philippine waters.There is some debate on the classification of some fairy wrasse species, in part because their color tends to be quite variable. For example, one of the world’s leading fairy wrasse authorities, Rudie Kuiter, recognizes the Redheaded, or Red-eyed Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus solorensis) as distinct from the Blue-headed Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura). Others consider the two to be color forms of the same species, both of which are referred to as C. cyanopleura. I agree with Rudie, that is, that the Redheaded Fairy Wrasse is distinct from C. cyanopleura, although C. solorensis is quite variable in its coloration as well (e.g., large males can have a red, yellow, orange or a purple head). Many of the fish sold in the aquarium trade as the Purple-headed "Parrotfish" or Red and Blue Velvet Wrasse are C. solorensis, not C. cyanopleura.
As far as fairy wrasse aggression is concerned, most males will behave aggressively towards members of their own species and sex. Therefore, it is prudent for one only male fairy wrasse of a given species to be kept in the same tank. Although, if you have a large tank (e.g., 135 gallons or more) so that submissive males may avoid be beaten-up and killed by aggressive consexuals, they may reverse sex and become functional females. Fairy wrasses are protogynous hermaphrodites; that is, all males result from female sex change. But, aquarium observations suggest that they can change back to the feminine sex in certain social venues. Males tend to sport more spectacular colors than females, and in most species males have longer pelvic fins.
One negative fairy wrasse attribute is that the spectacular colors of adult males may lose their intensity in captivity. Although, in some species color loss can be attributed to improper diet, in male fairy wrasses chromatic changes appears to be the result of a lack of interactions with conspecifics. If these fish are not kept in small groups (with one male and several females), the males color, and possibly his gender, will begin to revert back to that of the female.
Fairy wrasses are quite durable once they have bounced back from the trauma associated with shipping. But, unfortunately, larger individuals often die in transit, or never recover from the shipping process. To you collectors and wholesalers out there, that are not already familiar with this fact, it is important that you ship these fish in big bags with plenty of water. If individuals are bullied when first introduced to the aquarium they are also likely to hide and not feed.
Fairy wrasses are also proficient jumpers, often meeting untimely deaths as a result of their aerial acrobatics. Interestingly enough, this type of death is especially prevalent in male specimens. Why? It has to do with the courtship and territorial displays preformed by male fairy wrasses. These action patterns include lots of fast vertical dashes, which do not cause problems if the fish is in 60 feet of water. But, when the wrasse attempts this in a tank that is only 24 inches tall it often results in the fish hurling itself out of the tank (that is, if the aquarium is uncovered). Fairy wrasses will also jump out if they are frightened or harassed by a tankmate or the aquarist.
Cirrhilabrus scottorum. Photo by Scott W. Michael © 1998
The fairy wrasses that are most frequently encountered in aquarium stores are the Blueheaded (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura), Exquisite (Cirrhilabrus exquisitus), Lubbock’s (C. lubbocki), the Fine-spotted (C. punctatus), the Red-finned (Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis) and the Long-finned (C. rubriventralis) Fairy Wrasses. Scott’s Fairy Wrasse (C. scottorum), which is usually imported from the Cook Islands, is also commonly available from at least some sources, while beautiful specimens of the Redheaded Fairy Wrasse (C. solorensis) have been more readily available in the last year or so (these are reportedly coming from the same location where the Banggai Cardinalfish [Pterapogon kauderni] are being collected). Species that are sporadically available include the Filamented or Whipfin (Cirrhilabrus filamentosus), Katherine’s (Cirrhilabrus katherinae), the Lined (C. lineatus), Laboute’s (C. laboutei), the Yellow-streaked (C. luteovittatus), the Red-margined (C. rubrimarginatus) and the Red-scaled (C. rubrisquamis) Fairy Wrasses. One of the most expensive species (retail price in the U.S. about $600), that is rarely seen in the trade because it’s distribution is very limited, is the Rhomboid Fairy Wrasse (C. rhomboidalis) – however, you can see this species, for very few dinero, at the Waikiki Aquarium in Honolulu. Another oddball I have only kept on one occasion is what has tentatively been identified as the Lyre-tail Fairy Wrasse (C. lunatus). Although originally described from specimens taken off southern Japan, this species, or a very closely related form has been photographed and collected off of Sulawesi, Indonesia.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT W. MICHAEL ©1998