Adorned Wrasse Juv/Female

Adorned Wrasse Juv/Female, Halichoeres cosmetus, also go by the name Cosmetus Wrasse. Intense vivid orange lines decorate these elegant fish. Their faces also show off bright green stripes.

Like all members of the Halichoeres genus, males and females are sexually dimorphic. Meaning they look different even though they are the same species. Some differences are clearer than others.  Juv/Female Adorned Wrasse have pale bodies and two black spots along their dorsal. Males on the other hand, have deep green bodies that really make their colours shine. Three jagged pale lines interrupt the intricate pattern.

Halichoeres wrasse are found in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. The etymology for the genus is ‘Salt’, (alis) and ‘Pig’ (choiros).

Adorned Wrasse Juv/Female, Halichoeres cosmetus, Ecology. 

These fish live in the Western Indian Ocean. Ranging from: Australia, Socotra Archipelago and Africa.

Adorned Wrasse Juv/Female live in a mix of habitats, such as: coral reefs, lagoons, or rocky areas. The complex structures help the wrasse dodge predators. Failing that, these fish quickly vanish by burying themselves in the sand bed. These Wrasse live in social groups with one top male to a few or more females. Adorned Wrasse are also protogynous hermaphrodites. Which means when the boss male dies, the largest female in the group will turn into the new breeding male. As a result, all juvenile Adorned Wrasse, are in fact immature females.

In the wild, Adorned Wrasse Juv/Female flit in amongst crevices, seeking out small inverts. Their eyes are disconjugate, making them very effective hunters. They can also handle larger prey, thanks to their bashing technique. Where they chuck a prey item against rock to break it up.

Halichoeres wrasse could be helpful for dealing with pests. Such as snails, polychaete and nudibranchs, but may be risky with some kinds of ornamental critters. We recommend giving us a call to answer any compatibility questions you may have.

Female Cosmetus Wrasse In the Aquarium.

It is important to copy the natural environment by providing plenty of nooks and crannies. There should also be a good sand bed for the wrasse to hide and sleep in. Hobbyists should get a jump guard to stop any unfortunate losses.

Adorned Wrasse Juv/Female do best when fed a varied diet. They will accept enriched frozen mysis shrimp and enriched frozen brine shrimp. They will also devour live foods, such as copepods and amphipods, that can be cultivated in attached refugium. Over time they will accept high-quality pellet or flake. We adapt all our wrasse to aquarium life before they leave us. We focus on their health, and most are eating a good quality flake food and/or pellet, such as JBL Maris, before being offered for sale.