The Mystery Wrasse is painted with vibrant colors and a whimsical face. You don't have to be a wrasse lover to want this particular species. Also referred to as a Whitebarred Wrasse because of a series of white vertical pinstripe-lines appearing on its body, it moves about the rockwork primarily for safety while scouring for snacks. The mixture of purple, blue, yellow and green all on the same fish has a coolness factor all its own, and you'd expect such a fish to be proud to show off its colors. Quick to retreat as you approach, itwill come out for food or if its curiosity is piqued. Yet have no fear, once this fish is comfortable, it will be out and about all day long.
Origin: Marshall Islands
Size: 11.25 cm / 4.5"
Depth: 20 - 58 m
Diet: Carnivore
Coloration: Primarily purple with blue/green fins, spotted tail, and striped facial area.
Difficulty: Easy
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Salinity: 1.023 - 1.026sg
Temperature range: 74° to 80° F
While a sand-based reef is preferred by this fish, the Mystery wrasse sleeps in a hole or crevice in the rockwork, usually cocooned for the night. During late night flashlight expeditions of your reef, you may discover its favorite niche and be able to check on it in the same spot on future occasions. Try not to startle your fish with the beam of the flashlight while it sleeps, just take a peek and move on!
Its diet is crustaceous in nature, and in our tanks it may devour some pests like flatworms or pyramid snails, as well as bristleworms. It may opt to eat some shrimp, especially if they were added later. It will eat pellet food, flake food, finely chopped meaty foods like mysis and other frozen fare that we normally offer our livestock. It is harmless to corals, clams and other invertebrates.
It gets along well with other reef fish, including some wrasses. Since it can grow to be 4.5" long, it needs to be in a larger aquarium such as a 55g or greater. If you are lucky enough to find a tiny wrasse, it can start off in a small nano reef with the specific plan to upgrade to meet the demands of this fish.
When checking compatibility for this fish, the usual suspects that might be a problem are the predatory ones like Lionfish, Triggerfish, Groupers, and Frogfish. Those tend to eat any fish that will fit their mouths, which is why those are generally not in our reef tanks. It will get along with angelfish, butterflyfish, tangs, clownfish... the docile reef fish we often select. The Mystery wrasse may not like new fish additions that are considered safe, but only for territorial reasons now that the fish has established its place in the reef.
It, like other wrasses, may jump from the uncovered aquarium. Some type of mesh netting is a good method to keep it safe and avoid heat issues in a reef tank. It should live a long time with good water quality and proper tank husbandry.
Acclimation instructions should be adhered to closely, following the vendor's guidelines if they feel reasonable to you. Considering what the Mystery Wrasse costs, err on the side of caution. Matching temperature, salinity and pH is the general rule, and if the acclimation procedure is lengthy, it may be wise to add an air stone to bubble in some oxygen to keep the fish's respiration cared for. Usually, it is best to keep acclimation to 45 to 60 minutes. Quarantining this fish is wise, allowing you to teach it what foods are offered in a zero-competition environment, preferably multiple times a day to allow the fish to build up its fat reserves. Keep up with water changes and siphon out uneaten food to maintain good water quality. If any signs of disease appear during the quarantine period, these will be easier to treat for instead of trying to pull the fish out of a fully stocked reef tank.
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