Blue Sided Fairy Wrasse “Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura”

Description

Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura

The Bluehead Fairy Wrasse is also known as the Blue Scaled Fairy Wrasse, Yellow Flanked Fairy Wrasse, Purplehead Parrot Wrasse, or the Blue Sided Fairy Wrasse. This species varies in coloration considerably ranging from a red and blue coloration, to a deep maroon and deep blue coloration. More often than not this species will have a pale underside. The Bluehead wrasse and the Yellow Flanked Wrasse Cirrhilabrus lyukyuensis have been commonly mistaken for each other for some time in the science of ichthyology. Hiroyuki Tanaka, a leading authority on Cirrhilabrus spp, tends to believe that these two fish are synonymous with one another, and differ only in coloration based on their exact locale. Cirrhilabrus lyukyuensisnormally has a distinctive yellow to orange patch just behind the pectoral fins. Please expect variations in coloration with these fish, as the intensity of coloration and patterns may also vary with the location of their natural habitat, their age, and their mood.

The Bluehead Fairy Wrasse is an ideal fish for the reef aquarium adding both bright coloration and activity to these aquariums. Wrasse of the genus Cirrhilabrus mix well together if they are introduced simultaneously to the tank, and are one of the best groups of fish for a reef tank setting.

The Bluehead Fairy Wrasse diet should include vitamin enriched frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin enriched frozen brine shrimp, and other meaty foods along with a high quality marine flake and marine pellet food.