Dot-and-Dash Flasher Wrasse

The Dot-and-Dash Flasher Wrasse is a small, dazzling reef fish from the Western Pacific, notably the Philippines and Indonesia, where males patrol rubble slopes and reef margins in loose harems. During courtship the male intensifies his colours and erects his finnage in a spectacular flashing display, one of the aquarium hobby's most sought-after behaviours. It is entirely reef-safe and peaceful, feeding on zooplankton drifting in the current, so offer frequent small meals of enriched brine and mysis. A single male, or one male with several females, thrives best; multiple males may spar. A secure, tightly fitting lid is essential, as flasher wrasses are notorious jumpers. Keep salinity at 33-35 ppt, pH 8.1-8.4 and stable reef temperatures around 25°C. Provide open swimming space with nearby cover. Hardy once settled, it suits intermediate reefkeepers.