McCosker's flasher wrasse

Care at a glance

Overview

Peaceful and completely reef safe, spending its time picking zooplankton from the water column rather than bothering corals or invertebrates. It is best kept as a single male, ideally with two or three females, since males spar with rival males of their own or similar flasher wrasse species. Feed enriched mysis, brine shrimp, and other small meaty foods several times a day. Do not forget the tight lid: like all flasher and fairy wrasses, it will jump given the chance.

In the wild

Lives over outer reef slopes, rubble, and algae beds from the western Indian Ocean to Fiji at depths of 5–50 m. In the aquarium it needs at least 208 litres (55 gallons) of mostly open swimming space above live rock, since it spends most of the day hovering and displaying rather than perching on the rockwork. A completely sealed lid is essential, since this species is a strong and accurate jumper.

Good to know

Paracheilinus mccoskeri is a protogynous hermaphrodite. The terminal male develops an orange-red body with iridescent blue horizontal stripes, a yellow belly, and an elongated first ray on the dorsal fin used in display, while females and juveniles stay a duller orange with faint purple lines near the head. Adults reach about 8 cm. Like several other reef wrasses, it sleeps wrapped in a self-secreted mucous cocoon at night.

Common questions

Related species

• 

  Carpenter's flasher wrasse

  Paracheilinus carpenteri

  3.1 in (8 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)

  3.1 in (8 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Lubbock's fairy wrasse

  Cirrhilabrus lubbocki

  3.1 in (8 cm) · 55 gal (208 L)

  3.1 in (8 cm)55 gal (208 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Flame fairy wrasse

  Cirrhilabrus jordani

  3.9 in (10 cm) · 90 gal (340 L)

  3.9 in (10 cm)90 gal (340 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Hawaiian cleaner wrasse

  Labroides phthirophagus

  3.9 in (10 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)

  3.9 in (10 cm)70 gal (265 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Bluestreak cleaner wrasse

  Labroides dimidiatus

  4.3 in (11 cm) · 106 gal (400 L)

  4.3 in (11 cm)106 gal (400 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Solar fairy wrasse

  Cirrhilabrus solorensis

  4.3 in (11 cm) · 90 gal (340 L)

  4.3 in (11 cm)90 gal (340 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)