TankBud

Lineatus fairy wrasse

Cirrhilabrus lineatus

Also known as Lined Fairy Wrasse, Purplelined Wrasse, Lavender Fairy Wrasse

SaltwaterFish

Lineatus fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus lineatus)
Jokuyken15 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°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
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Labridae
Origin
Found on deeper outer reef slopes of the western Pacific, from the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea north to the Ryukyu Islands.

Overview

The Lineatus fairy wrasse is a peaceful plankton eater that swims in the middle of a reef tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

A displaying male Lineatus fairy wrasse can flush his colors far brighter than normal within seconds. He does it during courtship or disputes, a display often called flashing. The bright color lasts a few seconds, then fades back once the show is over.

Caring for the Lineatus fairy wrasse

Keep the Lineatus fairy wrasse in a reef tank of at least 90 gal (340 L), with live rock and open swimming lanes. Fairy wrasses are strong jumpers, so fit a tight, secure lid.

Hold the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It feeds on zooplankton, so offer mysis, enriched brine shrimp and pods two to three times a day.

The Lineatus fairy wrasse is peaceful with other fish and fully reef safe, ignoring corals and clams. It does fine alone or in a group. Add it as the last wrasse in the tank to avoid squabbles with lookalike species.

Good to know

Cirrhilabrus lineatus belongs to the large fairy wrasse genus in the wrasse family Labridae. All fairy wrasses begin as females, and the dominant fish becomes the male.

In the wild

The Lineatus fairy wrasse lives on deeper outer reef slopes in the western Pacific. Its range runs from the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea north to the Ryukyu Islands. It keeps to rubble and coral slopes below the surge zone, usually in loose groups led by a dominant male. Males patrol open water above the reef and flare their fins to display, while females stay closer to shelter. It hunts tiny animals drifting in the water column and picks them from the rock.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Lineatus 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 Lineatus fairy wrasse need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Lineatus fairy wrasse need?

A Lineatus fairy wrasse is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Lineatus fairy wrasse eat?

A Lineatus fairy wrasse eats zooplankton. Offer it mysis, enriched brine shrimp and pods two to three times a day.

How big does a Lineatus fairy wrasse get?

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

Related species