TankBud

Flame fairy wrasse

Cirrhilabrus jordani

Also known as Jordan's Fairy Wrasse, Hawaiian Flame Wrasse, Jordan's Wrasse, Flame Wrasse

SaltwaterFish

Flame fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus jordani)
Hiroyuki Tanaka, MD · CC BY 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
90 gal
340 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Labridae
Origin
Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll, on deep rubble slopes usually below 20 m.

Overview

The flame fairy wrasse is a peaceful Hawaiian fairy wrasse that swims in the middle of a reef tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

Flame fairy wrasses are collected by divers on deep Hawaiian reefs, which is part of why they cost more than most fairy wrasses. The male is one of the most sought after Hawaiian wrasses.

Caring for the flame fairy wrasse

Keep the flame fairy wrasse in a reef tank of at least 90 gal (340 L). Give it shaded rockwork and open water to swim in. It jumps readily, so a tight lid is a must.

Hold the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Because it comes from cooler, deeper water, it does well at slightly lower temperatures than most reef fish. It feeds on zooplankton, so offer mysis, enriched brine shrimp and pods two to three times a day.

The flame fairy wrasse is peaceful and reef safe, and it leaves corals and clams alone. It does fine alone, but a single male with a few females makes a calm display group. Males are a fiery orange and red, brighter than the females.

Good to know

Cirrhilabrus jordani is a Hawaiian endemic fairy wrasse in the family Labridae. Its females can develop into males when a dominant male is absent.

In the wild

The flame fairy wrasse comes from deep rubble slopes around the Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll, usually below 20 m. It lives in harems of one bright male and several females. The fish hover above the rubble, picking plankton from the current.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The flame 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 a flame fairy wrasse need?

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

What temperature and pH does a flame fairy wrasse need?

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

What does a flame fairy wrasse eat?

A flame fairy wrasse eats zooplankton. In the tank, feed it mysis, enriched brine shrimp and pods two to three times a day.

How big does a flame fairy wrasse get?

An adult flame fairy wrasse reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

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

Males are a fiery orange and red, and they are brighter than the females.

Related species