ID this wrasse for me---PIC!

[Anonymous]

Off to check all my books, but I have a feeling it's not in there. I can't even nail a genus on this one, although my first guess was a Bodianus sp.

A little info. It's about 2-2.5" long, has protruding canine looking teeth, and the soft part of the dorsal fin "flutters" like a Cirrhilabrus spp. fairy wrasse. It spent all its time looking at the sandbed while I was watching it.

Very neat looking fish, and I was considering buying it for a FO if it's easy to feed, doesn't grow too big/too aggressive etc.

Thanks for any help!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, looks like it might be a Cheilinus sp. aka Maori wrasse. Anybody kept one of these?

 

[Anonymous]

It's a Southeastern Blurry Leaf fish.

 

[Len]

It does look like a Cheilinus sp., and likely a juvenile specimen. The key thing to note is that this genus almost always gets huge. There's a few species that stays small, but it's the minority. They are very robust fish but predate on crustaceans and echinoderms.