Filamented fairy wrasse

The filamented fairy wrasse is a small reef wrasse of the family Labridae, found in the western Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean. Terminal males are richly colored in reds and purples with elongated, filamentous dorsal-fin rays, and they intensify their hues while courting and displaying. It is a peaceful, active swimmer that patrols open water above the reef and coexists with most community fish. Males can be territorial toward other fairy wrasses, so a group is best kept as one male with several females in a large tank. A reef aquarium with live rock, ample swimming space, and a tightly fitted lid is important because fairy wrasses jump readily. It is a zooplankton feeder that accepts frozen mysis, brine shrimp, and prepared foods. Captive breeding is uncommon.