Richmond Wrasse

The Richmond Wrasse is a popular but infrequently offered wrasse for reef aquariums. Females and juveniles are pale green with orange stripes and two false eye spots. Males have iridescent blue lips, fin edges, and smooth blue stripes on a burgundy face. The males’ prominent orange stripes break up as they age to make way for the deep, velvety green base color to shine through. They are prized for their appetite for aquarium pests like bristleworms and parasitic snails on clams. They are a medium sized but peaceful wrasse that does well with other peaceful wrasses. Please provide a sand bed and make sure your tank has a properly fitting lid, as this species will seek opportunities to jump out of the aquarium, especially when it is startled. Use caution when housing it in a reef aquarium, as it may eat  shrimp, feather dusters, and other marine worms.