The Mystery Wrasse or Pseudocheilinus ocellatus is one of the most sought after saltwater fish for an aquarium. Also known as the Whitebarred Wrasse, Tail Spot Wrasse and the Fivebarred Wrasse this fish is extremely colorful with blue, yellow and purple around its head. It has electric blue vertical stripes on its reddish purple body and a spot on its tail that is designed to fool predators. These stripes can fade, or even disappear as this fish grows older. Like a lot of Wrasse fish, they tend to change colors over their lifetime. Young Mystery Wrasse can be green, but will soon turn to the more familiar reddish purple body. They can grow to about 4.7 inches (12 cm).
If you are lucky enough to find a Mystery Wrasse you should house them in an aquarium of at least 60 gallons. A reef tank with live rock and a sandy bottom is preferred. The following water conditions are acceptable, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, and sg 1.021-1.025. These fish are carnivores that should be fed mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, meaty foods, flake food and pellet food. They will also feed off of small crustaceans and ornamental shrimp, if given the chance. Once establish they are a very easy fish to care for and considered to be quite hardy. You can check out the Mystery Wrasse in an aquarium in the video below...Another reason these fish are so popular in an aquarium is their playful behavior. They are also active in the day time and will tend to rest at night like many aquarium fish. If you have any additional information about the Mystery Wrasse please leave us a comment below.
Where is this fish found? Thanks
ReplyDeleteThey are found in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
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