Spotted Fairy Wrasse Care Guide
Cirrhilabrus punctatus, the dotted wrasse, is a western Pacific reef labrid whose males develop very long pelvic fins.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Cirrhilabrus punctatus, the dotted or spotted fairy wrasse, is a species of wrasse in the family Labridae, described by Randall and Kuiter in 1989. The body is dark gray to reddish on its upper three-fourths, patterned with pink to blue dots and white below. Males develop pelvic fins that are often half or more of the standard length.
Taxonomy
- Family: Labridae
- Genus: Cirrhilabrus
- Scientific name: Cirrhilabrus punctatus
- Authors: Randall & Kuiter, 1989
Habitat
The species ranges across the western Pacific, from New South Wales, Australia, and Papua New Guinea to Fiji and Tonga. It lives over coral or rubble on shallow, protected reefs and occasionally in more exposed areas, at depths from 2 to about 78 m, though mostly between 5 and 28 m. Ambient temperatures are around 24 to 28 °C.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 300 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness: 8-12 °dKH
- Size: 10-12 cm (FishBase max length 13 cm TL)
- Lifespan: 4-8 years
Diet
It is a carnivore. In the aquarium it should be offered small meaty marine foods such as enriched brine shrimp, mysis and finely chopped seafood, fed several times a day.
Compatibility
This peaceful, diurnal, mid-water wrasse is considered reef-safe. It mixes well with clownfish, tangs, anthias and gobies, and should be kept away from aggressive damselfishes and triggerfishes. As with other wrasses, a secure tank cover is recommended to prevent jumping.
Breeding
FishBase records distinct pairing during breeding. The species is a protogynous hermaphrodite, and captive reproduction is regarded as extremely difficult.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. The species is used in commercial fisheries and the aquarium trade.
Breeding the Spotted Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus punctatus)
Overview
Cirrhilabrus punctatus (Randall & Kuiter, 1989) is among the larger fairy wrasses, reaching about 13 cm total length. FishBase records it across the Western Pacific from New South Wales in Australia north to Guinea and east to Fiji and Tonga, over coral or rubble of shallow protected reefs at depths usually between 5 and 28 m. Its reproduction follows the genus pattern of sex change, courtship display and spawning into open water.
Sexing
This is a protogynous sequential hermaphrodite, so all fish begin as females and the dominant female of a group later becomes a functional male (Reef Builders). Terminal males are larger and more strongly coloured than the plainer females and juveniles. As with the rest of the genus, dependable sexing rests on the terminal male phase rather than on inspecting individual subadults.
Conditioning
The species feeds on zooplankton above reef and rubble bottoms, so reproductive condition would depend on regular small feedings of meaty marine foods. No captive conditioning regimen has been formalised, since the fish is not propagated in aquaria; the genus is simply most reproductively active when well nourished within a stable, mature marine system.
Breeding Setup
Natural reproduction takes place in haremic groups headed by a single terminal male over protected reefs. No documented home setup yields fry, because eggs broadcast into the water column are usually drawn into filtration or eaten before collection. Capturing the eggs and rearing the larvae would both have to be solved, which has not happened at the hobby level.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Spawning is preceded by a nuptial display in which the male intensifies his colours, flushing metallic hues across the fins, flares all fins and swims in quick darts to court females and confront rivals; this peak colour holds only seconds before fading (Reef Builders). The act itself is a brief paired ascent into open water, typically around dusk, with eggs and milt released together rather than placed on a surface.
Egg & Fry Care
The eggs are buoyant and pelagic, given no parental care, and they hatch into tiny planktonic larvae that feed on minute zooplankton. Rearing these larvae requires dense cultures of very small live foods and managed larval tanks, which is why fairy-wrasse fry are essentially unreared by hobbyists and only sporadically raised in research programmes.
Common Challenges
The obstacles are biological: minute pelagic eggs lost to filtration or predation, first-feeding larvae that need foods finer than ordinary rotifers, and the prerequisite of a stable male-led harem. Consequently the species stays a wild-collected reef fish, and a realistic aquarium aim is a healthy display group rather than captive reproduction.