Clown Wrasse

Wrasses

The Twin Spot Wrasse is also known as the Clown Wrasse. It is a very large fish and is not recommended for aquarium life due to its size and the difficulty in keeping it. It is an interesting fish for its color patterns, which change markedly as it matures. The Twin Spot comes from the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea. Juveniles have a white base with black spots on the front half and two large orange spots against a white background on the upper back. There is black trim on the fins. At about a foot in length, young adults change in color. Females retain the small black spots and become dark green/grey on the back half. Non breeding males are quite drab in appearance, while breeding males turn a dark green with bands of light green and blue. The second half of the body is marked by a distinct line where the color turns darker and there may be white banding at this intersection. The scales on the back half are more clearly defined. Breeding males will also have secondary color patterns through their fins.

Twin Spots will require a tank of more than 150 gallons with plenty of hiding and swimming areas. A deep, fine substrate should be provided for them to burrow in. Twin Spots are not reef safe. They have teeth that protrude from their mouth and are used to dig out prey from the sand. They also have large molars that crush shrimp, clams, crabs, snails and urchins. Twin Spots are active feeders during the day and hide at night in caves, among coral or in the sand. In an aquarium they can be fed mysis shrimp, frozen foods, chopped fish and flake foods. The family name of Labridae is derived from the Greek word for "greedy" which refers to their appetite.

Twin Spots are not bred in captivity. In the wild, a male breeds with a group of females. Large females can turn into males and ensure there are always breeding pairs. Twin Spots are pelagic egg-scatterers - the eggs drift with the currents. Juveniles grow up in shallow lagoon tide pools. The adults become solitary and live in reefs and lagoons.