Halichoeres chloropterus

(Bloch, 1791)

Pastel-green Wrasse

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Philippines to Great Barrier Reef.

Size: 7 inches (18 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow protected reefs and nearby silty sandy and rubble areas reefs and usually found at depths between 50 – 100 feet (15 – 30 m) where it feeds mainly on crustaceans.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade with males having an overall pale green body with females similarly colored except with small dark spots on the dorsal and aft body.

Best maintained in fish-only aquariums having a fine sand bed, (0.5 – 2.0 mm) and at least 4 inches deep, along with several rocky crevices to hunt and also open swimming areas. Those in this genus will not only rearrange bottom dwelling corals in its search for tasty bottom dwelling invertebrates, as it grows into adulthood may also eat smaller fishes by first bashing them against hard objects, then consuming the pieces. It may also consume snails, tubeworms, sea stars, cucumbers, urchins, crabs, and shrimp, also bashing them, if needed, to be consumed.

It will also quickly burrow into the sand bed if frightened or for sleeping at night. This diving into the sand bed will cause clouds of sand particles to be dispensed into the water, and would cause various corals harm, therefore, those in this genus, depending upon their size, are not often recommended for reef aquariums.

Requires a meaty diet, including fortified brine shrimp, mysis, and other meaty type marine-based frozen or fresh foods, and should be fed twice daily.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Labroidei

Family: Labridae

Genus: Halichoeres

FYI: Upon first entering the aquarium may stay buried for days. Simply await its decision when to emerge. Once established, it will go to sleep under the sand and arise the next morning at almost the exact same time every day!

Generally peaceful as a juvenile, yet as it grows into adulthood, may pick on passive smaller tankmates.

The aquarium should have small pieces of rocks for the wrasse to ‘play’ with in its daily search for prey.

Can greatly stir bottom sandbeds creating large clouds of sand being dispensed in many directions.

One male per aquarium.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: With caution

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful, yet larger

Minimum Tank Size: 60 gallons

Temperature Range: 74 - 82°F (23 – 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5