Related FAQs: Labropsis Wrasses, Wrasses, Wrasse Selection, Wrasse Behavior, Wrasse Compatibility, Wrasse Feeding, Wrasse Diseases,
Related Articles: The Diversity of Wrasses,
Family Labridae, Cook Islands
Wrasses,
/The Conscientious Marine
Aquarist
Tubelip Wrasses,
the Genera Diproctachanthus, Labrichthys
& Labropsis
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Bob Fenner |
Labropsis australis
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Genus Diproctacanthus:
Diproctacanthus xanthurus (Bleeker 1856), the Yellowtail
Tubelip Wrasse. Indo-Australia; Philippines, Palau, Indonesia, to the
GBR. To four inches in length. Juveniles are cleaners, adults feed on
coral polyps. Juvenile and adult in Pulau Redang, Malaysia, and middle
(intermediate age/size, initial phase) individuals in N. & S.
Sulawesi.
Genus Labrichthys: The sole member of this genus is the
Tubelip Wrasse, Labrichthys unilineatus (Guichenot 1847).
Indo-Pacific, east Africa to Samoa. To seven inches in length in the
wild. Below: a juvenile off Heron Island, Australia a female in Pulau
Redang, Malaysia, and a four inch male in a collector's aquarium in
Fiji. Rarely lives for any time in captivity.
Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are
linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed"
images to go to the larger size. |
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Genus Labropsis: These "Tubelip" Wrasse are a genus
of sometimes good, often times easily lost, very attractive fishes that
stay attractively small (the largest to six inches or so).
Unfortunately only one of five species are seen on any regular basis.
The other three (Allen's Wrasse, Labropsis alleni Randall
1981, the Micronesian Wrasse, Labropsis australis Randall 1981,
the Southern Tubelip, the Oriental Wrasse, Labropsis manabei
Schmidt 1931, Labropsis micronesica Randall 1981, the
Micronesian Wrasse are just as desirable for peaceful fish-only
systems.
Labropsis alleni Randall 1981, Allen's
Tubelip Wrasse. Indo-Australian; Philippines, Marshall's,
Solomon's, Indonesia. To 10 cm.
Fishbase link. Adults likely feed on coral polyps, juveniles
are facultative cleaners. N. & S. Sulawesi
pix. |
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Labropsis manabei Schmidt 1931, Northern
Tubelip Wrasse. Western Pacific; Southern Japan, Philippines,
Indonesia. To 10 cm.
Fishbase link. N. & S. Sulawesi pix. |
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Labropsis polynesica Randall 1981, Eastern
Central Pacific. |
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Labropsis xanthonata Randall 1981, the
Comet, Yellowback or V-Tail Tubelip Wrasse (3). An expensive
addition from the South Pacific and I.O. Maldives image of juvenile stage,
aquarium image of adult. |
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Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked
to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images
to go to the larger size. |
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