TankBud

Lunare wrasse

Thalassoma lunare

Also known as Moon Wrasse, Lyretail Wrasse, Crescent Wrasse, Lunar Wrasse

SaltwaterFish

Lunare wrasse (Thalassoma lunare)
Leonard Low from Australia · CC BY 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
9.8 in
25 cm
Minimum tank
125 gal
473 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Social
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very common
Reef safe
Not reef safe
Family
Labridae
Origin
Indo-Pacific reefs, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Line Islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island and New Zealand

Overview

The Lunare wrasse is a fast, aggressive wrasse for a large tank, and it is not reef safe. It is among the hardiest wrasses commonly kept, though it is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The Lunare wrasse darts around reefs all across the Indo-Pacific, where divers see it constantly. That makes it one of the most commonly photographed wrasses in the world. Underwater naturalists have documented its habit of shadowing larger fish to snap up any prey they flush out of hiding.

Caring for the Lunare wrasse

The Lunare wrasse is a fast, restless swimmer that needs at least 125 gal (473 L) of mostly open water to patrol. Add rockwork and a sand bed to retreat into, since it wedges into crevices or buries itself in the sand when startled or at night. It jumps readily, so a tight, gap-free lid is essential.

Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Feed a varied carnivore diet several times a day, especially while it settles in.

This genuinely aggressive, high-energy wrasse stakes out territory and harasses new tank mates. Always add it as one of the last fish in the tank. It can live as a male-female pair or in a small group with one male. Good tank mates are other bold, active fish such as tangs, triggerfish and puffers, not shy or slow feeders.

It is not reef safe. It flips rocks looking for crustaceans, mollusks and worms, and it will eat cleanup crew snails, hermit crabs and ornamental shrimp. It also takes bristleworms and the occasional pest mantis shrimp.

Good to know

Thalassoma lunare is a protogynous hermaphrodite. The names lunare, moon, lunar and crescent wrasse all describe its curved, moon-shaped tail fin, which is bordered in yellow on adults. Juveniles are blue below, with a black spot at the base of the dorsal fin and another on the tail. Both spots fade as the fish matures into the adult's green body and yellow crescent tail.

In the wild

The Lunare wrasse is one of the most widespread wrasses in the Indo-Pacific. Its range runs from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Line Islands. It reaches north to southern Japan and south to Lord Howe Island and New Zealand. It lives in the upper 1 to 20 m of lagoons and of coastal and seaward reefs.

Common questions

What size tank does a Lunare wrasse need?

A Lunare wrasse needs at least 125 gal (473 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Lunare wrasse need?

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

What does a Lunare wrasse eat?

A Lunare wrasse eats a varied carnivore diet, fed several times a day. It also hunts crustaceans, mollusks and worms, including snails, hermit crabs, ornamental shrimp and bristleworms.

How big does a Lunare wrasse get?

An adult Lunare wrasse reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).

Related species