Naoko's Fairy Wrasse

Overview

Naoko's Fairy Wrasse is a striking, less commonly available fairy wrasse with a deep red-to-pink body and fine blue-purple highlights, particularly vivid in mature males. Its relative rarity in the trade makes it a sought-after centrepiece fish for keepers wanting something a bit more special than the more mainstream fairy wrasse species.

It shares the general hardiness and peaceful temperament typical of the wider fairy wrasse group, generally settling well into a reef tank and adding constant colour and movement to the middle and upper water column.

As with most fairy wrasses, males display their brightest colours during courtship or territorial disputes, adding an extra dimension of behaviour to observe alongside its already vivid resting colouration.

Compatibility

Naoko's Fairy Wrasses are peaceful and fully reef safe, ignoring corals and invertebrates. They can be kept singly or, in a large enough tank, as one male with several females, though two males in a smaller system may show aggressive displays toward each other.

They mix well with other peaceful to semi-aggressive community fish and are rarely bullied given their alert, quick-swimming nature.

Health & quarantine

This species is generally hardy once acclimated, though like most wrasses it's a capable jumper, so a secure, gap-free lid is essential. A minimum four-week quarantine is recommended, and this species typically settles in and feeds well without major complications.