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Related FAQs: Halichoeres Wrasses,
Halichoeres 2,
Halichoeres
Identification, Halichoeres Behavior,
Halichoeres Compatibility,
Halichoeres Selection,
Halichoeres Systems, Halichoeres Feeding,
Halichoeres Disease,
Halichoeres Reproduction,
Wrasses, Wrasse
Selection, Wrasse Behavior, Wrasse Compatibility, Wrasse
Feeding, Wrasse Diseases,
Related Articles: Halichoeres A-M, The Diversity of Wrasses, Family
Labridae, Cook Islands Wrasses,
/The Best Livestock for A Marine Aquarium
Genus Halichoeres N-Z
To:
Halichoeres A-M
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By Bob Fenner |
Halichoeres ornatissimus
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Halichoeres ornatissimus (Garrett 1863) is (one of) the
three " Christmas Wrasses" (2), aka the
Ornate Wrasse to science. This can be a very hardy fish should you secure an initially healthy
specimen. Unfortunately, way to many are doomed from the trauma of rough handling through
the collection process. To six inches. Below: Juvenile and adult Hawai'i and
Aquarium photos. Indo-Pacific to Hawai'i,
where it is best imported from.
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| Halichoeres pictus (Steindachner 1867), the Rainbow
Wrasse. Tropical west Atlantic; Florida to northern South America. To 13
cm. in length. An initial phase individual and pair in Bonaire. |
 
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| Halichoeres poeyi (Poey 1860), the Rainbow
Wrasse. Tropical west Atlantic; Florida to northern South America. To 13
cm. in length. Found in
shallow muddy bays and grass beds. Photo at right of an intermediate phase
individual in the
Bahamas. Below: Juvenile, intermediate and terminal phases in St. Thomas. |
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| Halichoeres prosopeion (Bleeker 1853), the Two-tone
Wrasse. Western Pacific. To five inches in length. An occasional import
from a few countries. N. Sulawesi, Fiji and Australian photographs of very
young, juvenile and adult. |
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Halichoeres radiatus (Linnaeus 1758), the Puddingwife Wrasse (2), is another old standard
from the tropical west Atlantic. Good looking when young, keep in mind this fish grows to
twenty inches in the wild. Juveniles in Cozumel, sub-adults in St. Lucia and Cancun,
Initial Phase off Cozumel. 2, 3, four, five and twelve inches respectively, and
one off Bonaire. No terminal phase pic?
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Halichoeres semicinctus (Ayres 1859), the Rock Wrasse (3), I’ll throw in because
it’s a cool water (found off of Southern California) fish that occasionally is
wrongfully offered in the trade as a tropical. To fifteen inches in length.
Female and male public aquarium (Birch, San Diego) shown.
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| Halichoeres trimaculatus (Quoy & Gaimard 1824),
the Three-spot Wrasse. Indo-Pacific. To eleven inches in length. Adults in the Cook
Islands and Fiji. This species used
as food and occasionally in the aquarium trade. |
 
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| Halichoeres zeylonicus (Bennett 1833), the Goldstripe
Wrasse. Indo-west Pacific, including the Red Sea. To eight inches in
length. Aquarium and Maldives images. |
 
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Bibliography/Further Reading:
Michael, Scott W. 1997. Beautiful Wrasses. The unique species of the genus Halichoeres.
AFM 3/97.
To:
Halichoeres A-M | |
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Mmm,
does look like an aberrant H. chrysus...
