Coris Wrasse Fish

The Coris gaimard Wrasse, also known as the Yellowtail Coris Wrasse or Clown Wrasse, is a vibrant and active addition to a large marine aquarium. Juveniles display a striking pattern of red with white spots, while adults transform into a beautiful blue-green with a yellow tail and red markings on the head.

A minimum of a 125-gallon tank is recommended for this species, as they are active swimmers and can reach up to 12 inches in length in a home aquarium. A deep sand bed (at least 3-4 inches) is essential as they bury themselves in the sand at night or when startled. Provide plenty of live rock with hiding places. While generally peaceful towards other fish, they can be aggressive towards smaller, less boisterous tank mates and may harass smaller invertebrates. They are not considered reef safe as they will eat small crustaceans, mollusks, and other invertebrates.

The Coris gaimard Wrasse is a carnivore and requires a varied diet of meaty foods. Offer a mix of high-quality marine pellets, frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and other frozen marine foods. They are also known to eat unwanted invertebrates like pyramid snails and bristle worms.

This species is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning all are born female and the largest individual in a group can change to male. Breeding in captivity is very difficult. There are no easily distinguishable external differences between males and females.