Thalassoma rueppellii

(Klunzinger, 1871)

Klunzinger’s Wrasse

Range: Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea.

Size: 8 inches (20 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits reef margins and seaward slopes and usually found at depths between 3 – 150 feet (1 – 45 m) where it feeds on benthic invertebrates and small fishes.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade with the adult male having a pale greenish head and body with several pinkish irregular lines on the head and one reddish line along the lateral line.

Best maintained in large fish-only aquariums having a fine sand bed, (0.5 – 2.0 mm) and at least 4 inches deep (for juveniles), along with several rocky caves and crevices to hunt or sleep in and also wide open swimming areas as those in this genus are highly active swimmers.

May rearrange bottom dwelling corals in its search for tasty bottom dwelling invertebrates, e.g., snails, tubeworms, sea stars, cucumbers, urchins, crabs, and shrimp and will also eat smaller fishes, even those slightly larger by first grabbing them and then bashing them against hard objects, then consuming the pieces. Will quickly burrow into the sand if frightened, and occasionally for sleeping at night.

Preferable tankmates are those that are larger and somewhat aggressive, e.g., groupers, angelfishes, hawkfishes, and moderately aggressive triggerfishes.

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

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Labroidei

Family: Labridae

Genus: Thalassoma

FYI: Will jump out of uncovered aquariums.

One male per aquarium.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: With caution

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Moderately aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5