Red-breasted Wrasse Care Guide
Cheilinus fasciatus is an Indo-Pacific wrasse with a bold red breast band on a dark body; a sand-sifter that preys on hard-shelled invertebrates.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
The red-breasted wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus) is a wrasse of the family Labridae native to the Indo-Pacific. Adults show a distinctive red band across the front of the body on a darker background. The species reaches a maximum standard length of about 40 cm.
Taxonomy
- Family: Labridae
- Genus: Cheilinus
- Scientific name: Cheilinus fasciatus
Habitat
The range extends across the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and the East African coast to Micronesia, Samoa and Tonga, north to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan and south to Queensland, Australia. It lives in lagoons and seaward reefs over mixed rubble, coral and sand at depths of about 4 to 60 m, becoming rarer below 40 m.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 800 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Maximum size: about 40 cm
- Lifespan: 8-15 years
Diet
Cheilinus fasciatus is carnivorous and feeds mainly on crustaceans, sea urchins, hard-shelled invertebrates and molluscs, which it crushes with strong jaws while sifting the substrate.
Compatibility
It is a semi-aggressive, diurnal wrasse occupying the middle water column. Robust tank mates such as tangs, sturdy wrasses and cardinalfish suit it, while aggressive triggerfish should be avoided.
Reef compatibility
Because it sifts sand and eats hard-shelled invertebrates, Cheilinus fasciatus is not safe with ornamental shrimp, snails or other mobile invertebrates and is generally unsuitable for small reef systems. Specific gravity 1.024-1.026, carbonate hardness 8-12 dKH.
Conservation status
The IUCN Red List assesses Cheilinus fasciatus as Least Concern. It appears in local fisheries and the aquarium trade.
Cheilinus fasciatus (Red-breasted Wrasse) Breeding Guide
Overview
Cheilinus fasciatus, the Red-breasted Wrasse, is a large reef wrasse of the family Labridae, native to the Indo-Pacific from the east coast of Africa and the western Indian Ocean to Micronesia, Samoa and Tonga, north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to Queensland. FishBase records a maximum standard length of 40 cm. It inhabits lagoon and seaward reefs over mixed coral, sand and rubble, typically between 4 and 40 m. FishBase classifies it as oviparous with distinct pairing during breeding.
Sexing
Like most labrids, this species is a protogynous hermaphrodite: individuals mature first as females and the largest can later transition into terminal-phase males. Terminal-phase fish show a more pronounced red band and a more convex forehead than initial-phase and juvenile fish. Because functional sex is tied to social rank and body size, fixed pairs cannot be selected reliably at purchase.
Conditioning
In the wild the diet is dominated by hard-shelled benthic invertebrates such as molluscs, crustaceans and sea urchins. Any conditioning attempt would require sustained, varied meaty feeds matching this carnivorous, durophagous diet, delivered in a system large enough to hold a multi-individual social group. No conditioning protocol leading to captive spawning has been published.
Breeding Setup
There is no established aquarium breeding setup for this species. Its adult size of around 40 cm, its reef-flat home range, and the haremic social system typical of the family place its space requirements far beyond ordinary aquaria. Wild reproduction occurs on open reef where pairs ascend into the water column to release gametes.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Labrids typically broadcast-spawn, releasing large numbers of planktonic eggs that are dispersed by tidal currents, and adults provide no care to the offspring. FishBase notes distinct pairing during breeding for C. fasciatus. The natural triggers are environmental cues on the reef rather than conditions that can be replicated in a tank.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs are pelagic and the resulting larvae are planktonic, drifting and feeding in the water column before settlement. This open-ocean larval phase, with its tiny first-feeding stages, has no counterpart in home aquaria, which is the central reason the species is not captive-bred.
Common Challenges
The decisive obstacles are the broadcast pelagic spawning mode, the demanding planktonic larval rearing, the large adult size, and the protogynous social structure that makes pairing unpredictable. For these reasons C. fasciatus should be regarded as a wild-collected display fish rather than a breeding project.