Small Tail Pencil Wrasse Juv/Female

Small Tail Pencil Wrasse Juv/Female, Pseudojuloides cerasinus, are elegant marine fish. Where the males and females are sexually dimorphic.

Overall, males tend to be a bit bigger than the ladies. They are sky blue in colour and sport a brilliant yellow stripe across their body. A vibrant green saddle covers the entire length of their back. They also have green stripes behind their yellow rimmed eyes. In comparison, females are not as ornate but are still gorgeous fish. Yellow eyes stand out on their hot pink bodies. Which in turn, nicely sets off their pale bellies. Small Tail Pencil Wrasse fins are mostly translucent but show gentle yellow hues on the female.

Pseudojuloides Wrasse are native to Indian and Pacific waters. Their slender form and striated patterns earn the group the name of ‘Pencil Wrasse’. Other characteristics for this genus include: small size, truncate tail fin and single pair of canines followed by incisiform teeth.

Small Tail Pencil Wrasse Juv/Female Ecology.

Small Tail Pencil Wrasse are from the Eastern Pacific. They are endemic to Hawaii and live amongst coral and rubble on shallow reefs. The intricate structures on the reef help the fish hunt zooplankton, such as amphipods, while avoiding predation themselves. Failing that, these fish will also quickly disappear by burying themselves in the sediment.

In nature, these small fish can be seen in lose harems. Small Tail Pencil Wrasse are protogynous hermaphrodites. Which means when the dominant male perishes, the largest female in the group will turn male. As a result, all juvenile Royal Pencil Wrasse are immature females.

Pseudojuloides cerasinus 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.

Small Tail Pencil 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.