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| Related FAQs: Fairy
Wrasses, Velvet Wrasses 2, Velvet Wrasses 3,
Velvet Wrasse Identification,
Cirrhilabrus ID 2,
Velvet Wrasse Behavior,
Velvet Wrasse Compatibility,
Velvet Wrasse Selection,
Velvet Wrasse Systems,
Velvet Wrasse Feeding,
Velvet Wrasse Disease,
Wrasses, Wrasse
Selection, Wrasse Behavior, Wrasse Compatibility, Wrasse
Feeding, Wrasse Diseases,
Related Articles: The Diversity of Wrasses,
Family Labridae, Cook Islands Wrasses,
/The Best
Livestock for Your Marine Aquarium
Fairy or
Velvet Wrasses, the Genus Cirrhilabrus, pt. 1
To:
Part 2 |
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By Bob Fenner |
Cirrhilabrus jordani
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Genus Cirrhilabrus:
A few facts regarding this, the genus of Fairy or Velvet Wrasses. There
are about thirty described species (more to come) of these small (handful of inches),
colorful just-above-the-reef zooplankton feeders. All Cirrhilabrus species are sexually
dichromatic (discernible color differences between the sexes) and to a degree sexually
dimorphic (males slightly larger, with longer, more pointed unpaired fins). All are
protogynous hermaphrodites, with females turning into males as space, haremic conditions
allow. With a few exceptions all Fairy Wrasses fare moderately well (2’s) in peaceful
all-fish to reef settings. Most are lost to shipping damage, badgering from tankmates and
outright starvation; quite a few "jump out" of small tank openings. I’ll
list my favorite (hardiest) species, though other authors have other picks out of the
twenty or so offered in the trade on an irregular, seasonal basis. Some (mostly)
males of popular/available Cirrhilabrus species below... one male to a very
covered tank, please.
| Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis Aquarium photos of a
young (6.5 cm.) and older male by
Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
 
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| Cirrhilabrus balteatus Randall 1988, the Girdled
Wrasse. Western Central Pacific: Marshall Islands. To 10 cm. overall
length. 9 cm. male photo by Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
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| Cirrhilabrus bathiphilus Randall & Nagareda 2002.
Western Pacific; Coral Sea. 3 cm. female photo by Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
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| Cirrhilabrus blatteus Springer & Randall 1974,
the Purple-boned Wrasse. Red Sea endemic. To six inches in length. Found a
few feet above the bottom in haremic conditions. Zooplanktivore. Image or
a male, made in Hurghada, Red Sea. |
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| Cirrhilabrus condei Allen & Randall 1996.
Photo of a male in an aquarium by Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
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| Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura (Bleeker 1851), the Blueside
Wrasse. Western Pacific. To six inches in length. N. Sulawesi male at
right. Below: Aquarium photo of male, one
in Gili Air, Lombok Indonesia, and another male in an aquariums. Female
in N. Sulawesi. |
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| Cirrhilabrus exquisitus Smith 1957, the Exquisite Wrasse. Indo-west Pacific,
to the Tuamotus. To nearly five inches in length. Aquarium and Fiji images of
males, the last "flashing". |
 
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| Cirrhilabrus filamentosus (Klausewitz 1976), the
Whip-fin Wrasse. Shown: a male in the Gilis and a 9 cm. male in an
aquarium by Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
 
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| Cirrhilabrus flavianalis Aquarium photo by
Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
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| Cirrhilabrus flavidorsalis Randall & Carpenter
1980, the Yellow-fin Fairy Wrasse. To 5.7 cm. Western Pacific; Indonesia
and Philippines. Aquarium photos of a 3 cm. female and 6 cm. male by Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
 
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| Cirrhilabrus johnsoni Randall 1988. To 6 cm. Western
Central Pacific; Marshall Islands. Photos of a female and male by Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
 
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| Cirrhilabrus jordani Snyder 1904, the Flame Wrasse.
Hawaiian endemic. To four inches in length. One of the hardiest and most
beautiful of the genus. Aquarium photos of males by RMF and Hiroyuki
Tanaka. |
 
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| Cirrhilabrus katherinae Randall 1972. |
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Cirrhilabrus laboutei Randall & Lubbock 1982,
Laboute's Wrasse. Southwestern Pacific. To almost five inches long.
Aquarium photo of a male. As young, very
adaptable to captivity. Male pix by RMF and Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
 
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| Cirrhilabrus lanceolatus Randall & Masuda 1991. |
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| Cirrhilabrus lineatus Randall & Lubbock 1982, the
Purplelined Wrasse. Southwestern Pacific: New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands.
To nearly five inches in length. Aquarium image of males by RMF and Hiroyuki
Tanaka. |
 
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| Cirrhilabrus lubbocki Randall & Carpenter 1980,
Lubbock's Wrasse. Western central Pacific; Philippines, Celebes/Indonesia.
At right a male by Hiroyuki Tanaka. Below: The first male in captivity a second off Pulau Redang, Malaysia, the last
in N. Sulawesi. |
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| Cirrhilabrus lunatus Randall & Masuda 1991. To
8.5 cm. Southern Japan; Okinawa and Ogasawara Islands. A photo of a 7 cm.
male by Hiroyuki Tanaka. |
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| Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus Randall 1988. Western
Pacific. To nearly five inches in total length. Need frequent feedings of
meaty foods, lots of space and hiding places... prefer dimmed
lighting. Three male pix, the first two by Hiroyuki Tanaka at 7 and
11 cm., the last by RMF. |
| Cirrhilabrus lyukuensis Ishigawa 1904. A nomen nudum.
A junior synonym for C. cyanopleura. See fishbase.org re. |
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To:
Part II
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.JPG)
