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
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll, on deep rubble slopes usually below 20 m.
Family: Labridae

Overview

House it in a 340 litre or larger reef tank at 22 to 26 C and pH 8.1 to 8.4 with a tight lid, since it jumps readily. It is reef safe and leaves corals and clams alone, feeding on zooplankton, so provide mysis, enriched brine shrimp, and pods two to three times a day. It is peaceful, and a single male with a few females makes a striking, calm display group.

In the wild

The flame fairy wrasse comes from deeper Hawaiian reefs where it lives in harems of one bright male and several females. It hovers above rubble slopes picking plankton from the current. The fiery orange and red male is one of the most sought after Hawaiian wrasses. It needs shaded rockwork and open water to swim.

Good to know

Cirrhilabrus jordani is a Hawaiian endemic fairy wrasse in the family Labridae. Because it comes from cooler, deeper water it does well at slightly lower aquarium temperatures than most reef fish. Females can develop into males when a dominant male is absent.