Related FAQs: Thalassoma Wrasses, Thalassoma Wrasses 2, Thalassoma Identification, Thalassoma Behavior, Thalassoma Compatibility, Thalassoma Selection, Thalassoma Systems, Thalassoma Feeding, Thalassoma Disease, Thalassoma Reproduction, 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
Wrasses
of the Genus
Thalassoma
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Bob Fenner
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T. lutescens, T. bifasciatum
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Thalassoma wrasses comprise several cigar-shaped, fast
swimming, robust and to a degree aggressive fishes of good to okay to
poor aquarium use. The larger species when shipped of size and from far
away (long times in the bag) suffer especially. Most species stop
growing at about six inches, though a few about double that in the
wild. Like most wrasses they are good with only one male to a tank, and
need soft sand to dig and sleep in.
Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked
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to go to the larger size. |
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Thalassoma ballieui (Vaillant & Sauvage
1875), the Blacktail Wrasse (1), a rare import from the Hawaiian
Islands. To fifteen inches long. A rather plain, but hardy species
for fish-only systems. Eastern central Pacific, Hawai'i and
Midway Islands. Aquarium and one off of Oahu. |
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Thalassoma bifasciatum (Bloch 1791), the
Bluehead Wrasse (2), one of the most common reef fishes of the
tropical west Atlantic. Females and juveniles yellow above, white
below, with some dark markings. Shown, male and female specimens
in the Bahamas. Females to about five inches in length, males to
near twice that. Below: juvenile/initial phase individuals in the
Bahamas and Bonaire, initial phase in Bonaire and a terminal
phase individual in the Bahamas.
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Thalassoma duperrey (Quoy & Gaimard
1824), the Saddle Wrasse (2) is the most common reef fish in its
endemic Hawaiian Islands. To ten inches in length. A juvenile,
changing and two terminal (male) individuals in Hawaii.
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Thalassoma genivittatum Redcheek, Blueneck Wrasse. To
8 in. Like the rest of the genus, this fish is always moving; looking
for small invertebrate fare by day. Restricted to S.W. I.O. These ones
in Mauritius 2016.
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Thalassoma hardwicke (Bennett 1830),
the Six-Barred Wrasse (3). Indo-Pacific, to eight inches. The
first one in the Maldives, the second in the Cooks.
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Thalassoma hebraicum (Lacepede 1801), the
Goldbar Wrasse (1), my pick of the genus. Hardy and beautiful.
Indian Ocean, to nine inches in length. This one in the
Seychelles.
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Thalassoma jansenii (Bleeker 1856),
Jansen's Wrasse. Indo-West Pacific. To eight inches. Not a
great beauty but hardy by standards for the genus (2). Specimen
in a tank in a Fiji wholesaler's and Australia.
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Thalassoma lucasanum (Gill 1862), the Cortez
Rainbow Wrasse (2) AKA (for males) the Lollipop Wrasse. This
tropical east Pacific beauty can be "hard as nails" if
not beat up in collection/shipping. To six inches in length. Some
very young specimens and a terminal phase individual in the
Galapagos and a couple, male to the left in Baja.
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Thalassoma lunare (Linnaeus 1758), the Moon
Wrasse (2), sometimes comes in great, other times... all die. Red
Sea and Indian Ocean, to the Line Islands. Length to ten
inches. Can be more green or blue in overall coloration. Young
have a dark spot on their caudal and mid-dorsal fins. A male off
of Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia, and female in the Red
Sea.
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Thalassoma lutescens (Lay & Bennett
1839), the Yellow Moon Wrasse (2). West Pacific and eastern
Indian Ocean, to ten inches. Easily confused with the more common
Moon Wrasse, T. lunare. Here are images of an initial
phase individual and male in the Cook Islands, and another in
Nuka Hiva, Marquesas.
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Thalassoma purpureum (Forsskal 1775),
the Surge Wrasse (3). Indo-Pacific, to more than one foot long.
This one in the Seychelles.
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Thalassoma quinquevittatum (Lay &
Bennett 1839), the Red-Ribbon Wrasse (3). Indo-Pacific, to
six inches. Aquarium image.
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Thalassoma rueppellii (Klunzinger 1871),
Klunzinger's Wrasses (2). One of the few "klunkers"
from the Red Sea. To eight inches maximum length. Formerly and
often still misidentified as T. klunzingeri.
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Thalassoma trilobatum (Lacepede 1801), I
wish was called the Three-Line Wrasse, but it's another of
the Christmas Wrasses (just how many labrids are green and red
anyway?)(3). To twelve inches overall length. This image taken in
Hawai'i.
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Bibliography/Further Reading:
Anon. 1997. Sex on the brain (re the Bluehead Wrasse).
TFH 4/97.
Biagi, Mark. 1998. The Bluehead Wrasse. FAMA 2/98.
Church, James Lee. 1980. The rainbow wrasse,
Thalassoma lucasanum. TFH 5/80.
Stratton Richard F. 1990. The Hawaiian saddle wrasse. TFH
6/90.
Stratton, Richard F. 1991. The sunset wrasse
(Thalassoma lutescens). TFH 6/91.
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