Red-Fin Fairy Wrasse Care Guide
Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis, the redfin wrasse, is a zooplankton-feeding reef labrid from the Philippines and Indonesia.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis, the redfin wrasse, is a species of wrasse in the family Labridae, described by Randall and Carpenter in 1980. Males display bright red dorsal, anal and pelvic fins, the latter often drawn out into extremely long filaments. It is a reef-associated marine fish kept in the marine aquarium hobby.
Taxonomy
- Family: Labridae
- Genus: Cirrhilabrus
- Scientific name: Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis
- Authors: Randall & Carpenter, 1980
Habitat
The species is native to coral reefs of the western central Pacific in the Philippines and Indonesia. It occurs at depths of about 2 to 40 m, typically in small groups each dominated by a single male.
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: 8-10 cm (FishBase max length 9.1 cm TL)
- Lifespan: 4-8 years
Diet
FishBase reports that the species feeds on zooplankton in the water column, placing it at a trophic level of about 3.1. In the aquarium it should be offered frequent small meaty foods such as enriched brine shrimp and mysis.
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. Because it lives in single-male groups, only one male should be kept per aquarium unless the tank is very large. A secure cover prevents jumping.
Breeding
FishBase notes 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 (assessed 2010).
Breeding the Red-Fin Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis)
Overview
Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis (Randall & Carpenter, 1980) is a fairy wrasse of the family Labridae, recorded from the Western Central Pacific around the Philippines and Indonesia at depths of roughly 2 to 40 m (FishBase). It reaches about 9 cm total length. Like all members of the genus it is a reef-associated, open-water spawner whose reproduction is shaped by sex change and a brief courtship display rather than nest building or parental care.
Sexing
Fairy wrasses are protogynous sequential hermaphrodites: every individual matures first as a female, and the dominant female of a group later transforms into a functional male (Reef Builders). Terminal males are larger and more colourful than females, and in this species the males show enlarged, bright-red dorsal and anal fins. Because juveniles and females share a plainer pattern, reliable sexing depends on the terminal male phase rather than on examining individual fish.
Conditioning
In the wild the species feeds on zooplankton drifting over reef slopes, so any attempt at conditioning would centre on frequent small feedings of meaty marine foods to maintain the energy reserves needed for daily display and spawning. Because the fish is not bred in captivity, no established conditioning regimen exists; the genus is simply known to spawn most actively when well fed and held in a stable, mature reef-type system.
Breeding Setup
Natural reproduction occurs in haremic groups of one terminal male with several females over rubble and coral slopes. No home-aquarium breeding setup has been documented for this species. The water-column spawning behaviour means that even in large display systems the released eggs are normally drawn into filtration or eaten before they can be collected, which is one reason captive rearing has not been achieved by hobbyists.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Spawning in fairy wrasses is preceded by a nuptial display in which the male intensifies his colours, often flushing metallic blue or white across the fins, flares all fins and swims in rapid bursts to court females and ward off rivals; this heightened colour lasts only seconds at a time before the fish reverts to its resting pattern (Reef Builders). Spawning itself takes place as a quick paired ascent into the water column, typically toward dusk, where eggs and milt are released into open water.
Egg & Fry Care
The eggs are pelagic and buoyant, receiving no parental care, and they hatch into tiny planktonic larvae that drift and feed on minute zooplankton. Rearing such larvae requires dense cultures of appropriately sized live foods and carefully managed larval tanks, which is why fairy-wrasse fry are essentially unreared by home aquarists and only occasionally raised in research or specialist programmes.
Common Challenges
The central obstacles are biological rather than technical: the tiny pelagic eggs are lost to filtration or predation, first-feeding larvae need foods smaller than typical rotifers, and a stable male-led harem must first be established. For these reasons the species remains a wild-collected reef fish, and realistic aquarium goals are limited to maintaining a healthy display group rather than producing offspring.