Bodianus bilunulatus (Lacepede 1801), the Black Spot Hogfish or Tarry Hogfish to science, is often offered retail. Punctuated distribution in the Indo-west Pacific including Hawai'i, where these images were taken. Three inch juvenile and six inch sub-adults shown. Grows to twenty two inches in length in the wild.

Cheilinus chlorourus (Bloch 1791), the Floral Wrasse (1). Hardy, but not as good-looking as some of its congeners. To twenty inches long in the wild; much smaller in captivity. Indo-Pacific out to the Tuamotus. The first one a small juvenile in Australia, the other in the Cooks.

Cheilinus trilobatus Lacepede 1801, the Tripletail Wrasse (2) we’ll list as it is occasionally sold in the business. This is another aquarium-tough, medium-shipper that gets big (about two feet). Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to the Tuamotus. Here are images from the Maldives, Red Sea and Malaysia.

Oxycheilinus digrammus (Lacepede 1801), the Cheeklined Wrasse (2) is probably the most commonly offered member of the genus. Initially healthy specimens do well, but most are received from the wild in poor condition. Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, out to Samoa. To sixteen inches in length in the wild. Here are some images taken in (the first) in the Maldives, the other two in the Red Sea to illustrate how varying this species appears.

Oxycheilinus unifasciatus (Streets 1877), the Ring Tail or One-Banded Wrasse (2) is the widest ranging member of the genus. Found across the Pacific’s Oceania through the Indian Ocean and Red Sea, and growing only to about a foot, it still does poorly in captivity. Formerly placed in the genus Cheilinus. One on the reef in Roratonga 

Genus Cheilio: I’ll mention the seagrass-dwelling Cigar Wrasse, Cheilio inermis (Forsskal 1775) (3), only because it occasionally is offered in pet-fish markets, and rarely lives in captivity. Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, out to Hawai'i. To twenty inches in length. Here is one in the Gilis, Indonesia in a typical flanking behavior, disguised with a Goatfish.

     Only one species Fairy or Velvet Wrasse (genus Cirrhilabrus) is found in the Cooks but it’s a winner. Cirrhilabrus scottorum, Scott's Wrasse. Here is one in a cubicle at Chip Boyle's collection business in Roratonga, Cook Islands, the other at a S. Cal. retailers.

     Do they have Coris Wrasses? Of Coris! (sorry about that). There are three species in the Cooks, including the Coris to many, C. gaimard. The other members here are all about the same suitable… for rough and ready fish only marine systems. Besides the ever-active (except at night when it’s asleep below the sand), there’s Coris aygula, the Twinspot or Clown Coris for fish only marine aquarium species. (Show both through development)

Coris aygula Lacepede 1801, the Twinspot or Clown Coris (2), is oh-so-cute when little; at about 3-5 inches it starts to transform into a light in the front, dark in the back female. But as they say on late night TV, "Wait, there’s more". At a foot or so in length females change again to darkish green with a white body band males that grow to three plus feet in length! Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea to the Line Islands in distribution. Below are a three inch juvenile in captivity, and a six inch female and two foot male in the Red Sea.

Coris gaimard (Quoy & Gaimard 1824), the Yellowtail Coris or Gaimard’s Wrasse is THE Coris Wrasse to most hobbyists (1). Depending on life stage this fish also goes by the common appellations as the Red (as young) and Yellowtail Coris. To a mere sixteen inches in length. Indo-Pacific out to Hawai'i. where these images of a juvenile, female and male were made.

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