Fivestripe Wrasse - Medium

The Fivestripe Wrasse has a brilliant green and yellow body. There are multiple thick pink stripes from its mouth to just behind the eyes. Behind its yellowish front, the mid to aft body is green with a red ‘spine' shaped pattern, and the belly is yellow. Males display spectacular colors. Red lines turn purple, and the abdomen frequently glows yellow. On the dorsal side of the body, two unequal red stripes run from below the dorsal fin to the upper caudal lobe. Adults grow to a length of 7 inches (17.8 centimetres) in length.

There is limited information about the Fivestripe Wrasses breeding habits. It is a pelagic spawner. Males change colour during courtship, and also when defending territory. It is a hermaphroditic species that has the ability to switch from female to male. When a male is required, a female will change sex and assume the position.

The Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean are home to this species. Locations include East Africa to the Hawaii, north to the Ryukyu Islands, Japan to Taiwan. The Fivestripe wrasse lives on coral reefs in shallow water & surge channel. Its habitat ranges from 1-5 meters (3.3 to 16.4 feet).

Tank Recommendations for your Fivestar Wrasse

A suitable tank size is at least 70 gallons (265 litres).

This species should be housed in a fish-only aquarium with a fine sand substrate (0.5–2.0 mm) that is least 4 inches deep. If startled, it will immediately burrow into the sand, and it will occasionally sleep in the sand at night. It should also have a variety of rocky caves and crevices to hunt or sleep in. Fivestripe Wrasses are highly active swimmers that will benefit from open swimming areas.

The Fivestripe Wrasse may rearrange bottom-dwelling corals as it searches for invertebrates. A secure lid is recommended as the Fivestripe Wrasse is capable of jumping out of the tank.

Suitable Tank Buddies

The Five Stripe Wrasse isn't the best choice for a reef tank. However, it'll do well in a fish-only aquarium with semi-aggressive tank mates of similar size. It may also consume smaller fishes, and as well as slightly larger ones. It can catch them, pound them against hard things, and eat the fragments.

It may grow territorial and frequently harass any new aquarium additions. As a result, it should be one of the last fish added to the tank.

Usually Compatible

Larger and more aggressive tankmates are preferable tank buddies. Good examples include Groupers, Angelfish, Hawkfish, and moderately aggressive Triggerfish. Conspecifics can be kept in a male and female pair.

Sometime Compatible

Care should be taken housing Wrasse with a variety of species. These include non-mated conspecifics, Batfish, Eels, Dartfish, Squirrelfish, Hogfish, and Pufferfish.

Rarely Compatible

Most species aren't a threat to Wrasses. However, slow movers such as Seahorses or Pipefish should be kept in a separate tank. Also avoid crustaceans and smaller fish that a Fivestripe Wrasse may prey upon.

Feeding your Fivestripe Wrasse

The Fivestripe Wrasse is carnivorous. It needs a diet consisting of meaty frozen or fresh items. This includes crustaceans, mysis and fortified brine shrimp. Flakes and other dry food like as pellets are also acceptable. It needs to be fed at least three times a day.