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Green Lunar Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare)

Green Lunar Wrasse

Thalassoma lunare
Family
Wrasse / Labridae
Care level
Intermediate
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Max size
30 cm
Min tank
500 L · 132 gal
Origin
Indo-Pacific
Diet
Carnivore
Food
Mysis, Brine shrimp, Marine pellets, Frozen carnivore blends

Overview

The Green Lunar Wrasse is a bright green-to-blue fish with a distinctive yellow crescent-shaped tail marking, growing into a robust, active fish that needs considerably more swimming room than its attractive juvenile colouration might suggest. It's a hardy, adaptable wrasse well suited to larger fish-only or lightly stocked reef systems.

It's also useful for pest control, since it will actively hunt and eat pest flatworms, bristleworms, and small nuisance crustaceans, making it a popular choice for keepers dealing with an outbreak, though this same hunting instinct means it can also eat beneficial small invertebrates like feather dusters, small snails, or ornamental shrimp.

Given its adult size and active nature, it's best suited to a larger, well-established tank rather than a small or nano reef system.

Compatibility

Green Lunar Wrasses can be semi-aggressive, particularly toward other wrasses of similar size and shape, and may become territorial as they mature, so introduction order and tank size matter. They generally coexist well with tangs, angelfish, and other robust community fish.

This species is rated reef safe with caution — while it won't touch stony or soft coral, it will actively hunt small crustaceans and worms, posing a risk to ornamental shrimp, ornamental worms, and ornamental small snails in the display.

Health & quarantine

This is a hardy, adaptable wrasse with few chronic health issues, though like most wrasses it's a capable jumper, so a secure lid is important. A minimum four-week quarantine is recommended good practice, and this species generally acclimates and feeds well without major issues.

Frequently asked questions

Will a Green Lunar Wrasse eat pest flatworms or bristleworms?
Yes, this is one of its main appeals — it actively hunts pest flatworms, bristleworms and other nuisance invertebrates.
Is the Green Lunar Wrasse safe with ornamental shrimp?
Not reliably — it will often hunt small crustaceans, so it's a risk to ornamental shrimp and similar invertebrates.
How big does a Green Lunar Wrasse get?
Up to around 30cm, requiring a large, well-established tank.
Does a Green Lunar Wrasse need a sand bed?
Yes, it will bury itself in sand at night or when startled, so a soft, sufficiently deep sand bed is important.
Is the Green Lunar Wrasse aggressive?
It can be semi-aggressive, particularly toward other wrasses of similar size and shape as it matures.

Care guidance is drawn from our own experience — every fish is an individual, so treat it as a starting point, not a guarantee. Not sure if a species suits your tank? Come ask us in store. New to the terms? Read the care-terms glossary.