Green bird wrasse

Care at a glance

Overview

Energetic and bold rather than outright mean toward fish tankmates, it does best with similarly confident species like tangs, larger angelfish, triggerfish, or puffers rather than small, timid fish. It is not reef safe: that long beak is built for hunting, and it will clean out a cleanup crew of snails and hermit crabs and pick off small ornamental shrimp and worms in short order. Two can sometimes be kept together as a pair if introduced to the tank at the same time. Feed a varied carnivore diet of mysis, brine shrimp, krill, and other meaty foods, including some with algae content for color.

In the wild

Ranges across the Indo-Pacific from the Cocos-Keeling Islands to Hawaii and the Marquesas, north to southern Japan and south to Lord Howe Island, on reef flats and lagoons at roughly 2–30 m. It is a fast, active swimmer that needs a lot of unobstructed open water, so plan for at least 473 litres (125 gallons) with live rock arranged to leave long swimming lanes rather than a maze of tight caves. A tight fitting lid with no gaps is not optional, since bird wrasses are determined jumpers.

Good to know

Gomphosus varius is a protogynous hermaphrodite. Females are a duller grayish brown with a pale belly and a reddish orange patch on the upper snout, while terminal phase males turn a striking blue-green all over, which is why this fish is sold as the green bird wrasse even though females and juveniles are brown or black. Its most distinctive feature is a long, tweezer-like snout, used to pick shrimp, crabs, and worms out of narrow holes in the reef that most other fish cannot reach. Adults can reach about 30 cm.

Common questions

Related species

• 

  Bluehead wrasse

  Thalassoma bifasciatum

  7.1 in (18 cm) · 74 gal (280 L)

  7.1 in (18 cm)74 gal (280 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Harlequin tuskfish

  Choerodon fasciatus

  11.8 in (30 cm) · 125 gal (473 L)

  11.8 in (30 cm)125 gal (473 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Red coris wrasse

  Coris gaimard

  11.8 in (30 cm) · 150 gal (568 L)

  11.8 in (30 cm)150 gal (568 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Lunare wrasse

  Thalassoma lunare

  9.8 in (25 cm) · 125 gal (473 L)

  9.8 in (25 cm)125 gal (473 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Six-line wrasse

  Pseudocheilinus hexataenia

  3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)

  3.1 in (8 cm)29 gal (110 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Social fairy wrasse

  Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis

  2.8 in (7 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)

  2.8 in (7 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)