TankBud

Exquisite fairy wrasse

Cirrhilabrus exquisitus

Also known as Exquisite Wrasse

SaltwaterFish

Exquisite fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus exquisitus)
Rickard Zerpe · CC BY 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
4.7 in
12 cm
Minimum tank
90 gal
340 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Labridae
Origin
Indo-Pacific reefs, from East Africa to the Tuamotu Islands

Overview

The exquisite fairy wrasse is a peaceful, reef-safe wrasse that swims in the middle of the tank. It is one of the larger fairy wrasses in the trade, and it is easy to keep.

Did you know

The exquisite fairy wrasse is one of the few reef fish that looks noticeably different depending on where it was collected. Aquarists comparing an African male with an Indonesian one are often surprised to learn they are the same fish. African and Maldivian fish show more red, Indonesian fish more green, and Fijian fish run more blue.

Caring for the exquisite fairy wrasse

Give an exquisite fairy wrasse a tank of at least 90 gal (340 L) with plenty of live rock to graze over. It wants bright lighting, a few shaded ledges to retreat to and open water above the rock for cruising. Like all fairy wrasses, it is a strong, accurate jumper. It will find any gap in the lid, so fit a snug canopy.

Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Offer enriched mysis and brine shrimp along with marine flake and pellet several times a day.

The exquisite fairy wrasse is peaceful toward almost every tank mate and never bothers corals, clams or other invertebrates. It does fine alone or in a group, but keep only one Cirrhilabrus male per tank to avoid fighting. A settled male can be rough on females added after him, so add the females first or together with him.

Males grow larger, more pointed fins and far more color than females. A male shows a pale gray-green body, pink and blue markings on the face, and red in the dorsal and anal fins. A black spot underlined by a blue streak marks the base of his tail. Breeding exquisite fairy wrasses is hard.

Good to know

Cirrhilabrus exquisitus is a fairy wrasse in the family Labridae. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite that starts life as a female. A female changes to a male if the dominant male in her group disappears.

In the wild

The exquisite fairy wrasse ranges across the Indo-Pacific, from the East African coast to the Tuamotu Islands. It lives on reef slopes and in lagoons at 6 to 40 m, most often in the shallower 6 to 10 m band.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The exquisite fairy wrasse is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an exquisite fairy wrasse need?

An exquisite fairy wrasse needs at least 90 gal (340 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an exquisite fairy wrasse need?

An exquisite fairy wrasse is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does an exquisite fairy wrasse eat?

An exquisite fairy wrasse eats enriched mysis and brine shrimp, along with marine flake and pellet. Feed it several times a day.

How big does an exquisite fairy wrasse get?

An adult exquisite fairy wrasse reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).

How can you tell a male exquisite fairy wrasse from a female?

Males have larger, more pointed fins and far more color than females. A male shows a pale gray-green body with pink and blue face markings and red in the dorsal and anal fins.

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