Flasher Wrasses

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Hi Everyone,

Here I started a new column on the Flasher Wrasses (gebus Paracheilinus), a close relative of the Fairy Wrasses (genus Cirrhilabrus). Main difference between these two genera is the count for dorsal-fin spine.

They are also very colorful, mainly orange-red to red, and the genus now comprises 14 different species, and several undescribed ones are known. Their behavior is almost same with that of Cirrhilabrus but members of Paracheilinus with filaments tend to stay near bottom of tanks motionlessly with their bodies almost standing. Of course, all the species will swim in their own way like the Cirrhilabrus members.

A few species of Cirrhilabrus possess filament(s) on dorsal fin but many Paracheiulinus species have a single to eight or more filaments there. They can change their colorations of body and fins like Cirrhilabrus and those are outstanding.

:arrow: List of Species

angulatus*
attenuatus*
bellae
carpenteri*
cyaneus*
filamentosus*
flavianalis*
hemitaeniatus
lineopunctatus*
mccoskeri*
octotaenia*
piscilineatus
rubricaudalis*
togeanensis


Males are different in shape and coloration from females in the same species; in most xases males are larger and more vivid than females. They also are easy to maintain in captive environment and feed on almost anything offered. They are harmless on inverts and suitable for reef-sets and also fish-only tanks, too.

Any species of the genus has short pelvic fins, while many Cirrhilabrus ones possess longer fins.

I have been keeping 10* species out of 14 shown above. I will show all the species I have kept in the aquarium and I hope to 'inspire' anyone who is interested in the genus and Cirrhilabrus as well. Any comment and also photos are highly welcome !

This time I show the Linespot Flasher Wrasse (FW), Paracheilinus lineopunctatus, male in normal coloration. It is an almost entirely deep red fish but it will change its body and fins as shown soon. The timing of this behavior is only seconds, from approximately 3-10". It distributes the Philippines and northern Indonesia and grows to some 7cm or more.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

The male of Linespot FW in a display.

White areas appear on side, and filaments turn white, and also the back becomes blue in seconds. The coloration does not last long and turn normal coloration within 10 seconds at most.

Males only can exhibit such gorgeous coloration when they are attracting females or fighting with males of the same species or different ones. They usually move so quickly when they display and photographing them needs much patience, but it is worthy of doing when the result is very good.

 

[Len]

I've kept a Paracheilinus that was sold as P.bellae and likely collected by Brian (came in the same shipment as C.johnsoni from the same toll they are endemic to). Here are two really really bad, old pictures of the obvious male specimen. I wish I had better photography equipment and skills back then.

 

[Len]

FYI: the P.bellae had a more purplish appearance in person then the photograph (shot with flash).

 

[bgreene]

I'll try to bring back some P. bellae next trip. They are ridiculously hard to collect even though they live in the same habitat as the C. johnsoni's.

-Brian

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Thanks Len and Brian.

This species is thought to be endemic to the Marshalls for a some period but it has been photographed in Palau and also in Iriomote Island (the Ryukyu Islands). Scattered ? Yes, I hope that it would be recorded also from between these islands.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

This is Blue FW (P. cyaneus) from Indonesia.

It distributes Indonesia and eastern Malaysia only and grows to 10cm long, but most specimens available are under 8cm. A fairly ommon species available at shops in Japan.

It is similar in shape and coloration to P. filamentosus but the latter has a plain coloration between lines on side, without any dots, while in P. cyaneus there are numerous fine dots between lines. The species usually is greenish on head.

It is a deep red fish but when it displays an outstanding coloration will be exhibited (next photo).

 

[Len]

Awesome! Fins just don't get more extreme then Paracheilinus!

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

P. cyaneus in display. The male is 6.5cm long, and exhibits an almost white dorsal fin and white filaments. Also the back turns brilliantly blue that is the origin of naming. P. filament does not show such a blue on body or on filaments.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

P. cyaneus, male, 7cm long.

This is a coloration of display. Note that the dorsal fin becomes almost white, and also filaments turn white. The back changes into blue. that is an origin of its name cyaneus.

There is no female of P. yaneus or any species of Paracheilinus. He excites alone and changes colors and return to usual colors within some five to ten seconds.

P. filamentosus does not show such a brilliant blue in any part except on lines on side.

Choose larger individual of the genus when you want to see such a dramatic behavior.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

This is my wrasse room.

The two red fish (on the right and below right) are males of P. cyaneus in display. The fish (center) is P. lineopunctatus, and the orange-yellow one (left) is a male of P. rubricaudalis.

I keep various males of Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus in a smaller tank. They behave aggressively on occasion but they can be easily kept safely.

 

[Len]

Do the males retain their male morphoogy without females when kept together with other males?

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

I have once experienced that. A male of Cirrhilabrus sanguineus, 6cm, has changed coloration to that of female, by losing the red blotch on side and it faded away in six months. It was kept with other spp. of males of Cirrhilabrus.

Another male, without any female, of C. rubrisquamis, 9cm long, amost fully-grown never returned. Probably largest grown-ups may not return to females in any environment.

 

[bronco7777]

[/img]http://www.reefaquariumguide.com/gallery/data/500/medium/Eightline_flasher_in_cup.JPG[/img]

Eightline Flasher

 

[bronco7777]

Eightline Flasher[/img]

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

Thanks for the nice pics, Bronco.

The Eightline FW (Paracheilinus octotaenia) comes only from the Red Sea. It is the type species for the genus, and has an oval shape that is quite different from other members. Also it has no filament on dorsal fin and said to reach 9 cm at most. But the specimen (photo) is 12 cm, the largest individual I have ever seen. John E. Randall (author of Red Sea Reef Fishes) also was astonished to see my pic.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

This is Red-tailed FW, P. rubricaudalis, that was once thought to be P. mccoskeri (Indian Ocean species).

The species coms from Vanuatu, and was described only in 2003, being based upon specimens from Fiji. It is somewhat a larger species for the genus, and reaches over 9 cm long.

The anal fin is mostly red distally, and a single filament on dorsal fin can be seen. It is very similar ro P. mccoskeri in having these characters but cn be differentiated from the latter by an almost totally red caudal fin, while in P. mccoskeri blue lines exist on the tail. Fijian male specimens have a narrow blue line on the caudal fin, but those from Vauantu do not.

They are sold in Japan on rare occasion, and in US they seem to be treated as the Giant Carpenter's FW.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

This is the displaying colors of P. rubricaudalis.

Note that the body turned yelllow. It lasts several seconds and will return within six to seven seconds.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

This is Paracheilinus mccoskeri, McCosker's FW. Male, 5.5cm long from the Maldives.

It is fairly commonly available at retailers and the cheapest among the members of the geneus. It comes mainly from the Maldive Islands, and rarely is shipped from Kenya.

The male is orange-yellow to reddish yellow with some bluish stripes on side, and has a single filament on dorsal fin.

It is very similar to the related P. carpenteri (Carpenter's FW) in having a rounded caudal fin and a red part on anal fin, but P. mccoskeri has only a single filament, while in P. carpnteri the number of filament is two to four.

The species ranges Kenya to the Maldives and Andaman Sea, and it reaches to norhern coast of Sumatra.

Femelaes are yellowish orange with some narow stpies on side, and no filament.

 

[Hiroyuki Tanaka]

It is 6cm long male of P. mccoskeri from the Maldives, in display.

The dorsoposterior part of dorsal fin became brilliantly blue and stripes on side also turned neon blue. Note a single row of blue dots on anal fin. The anal fin is yellow basally and red on outer 2/3 part. The pattern of anal-fin is greatly similar to P. carpenteri.