Rose-band Fairy Wrasse

Habitat: Natural geographic location:
    The Rose-band Fairy Wrasse or Red-striped Fairy Wrasse is found in New Caledonia and also known from scattered Pacific localities; Samoa, Fiji, Palau and Cebu (the Philippines). It is a deep-water species known from 30-113+ meters in depth.
  Cirrhilabrus roseafascia was described by Randall & Lubbock in 1982. This species was first collected at the depth of 100 meters off New Caledonia where it entered a crab pot; an unexpected capture. It was not known from any other locality until around 2000. Exploration by deep diving discovered several specimens in Fiji and Samoa, and also a Japanese diver photographed a male in Palau. Recently some Japanese divers reported many specimens in Cebu, the Philippines. In 2003 the very first specimen was collected and shipped from Cebu to Japan as an aquarium pet. No scientific examination for those from other localities was made but we (Randall, 2005; Tanaka, Pyle & Randall, in press) regard it as this species. An underwater photo by Hiroshi Nagano in Palau is almost identical to the species in appearance and we think that it also is C. roseafascia, although no specimen was collected.
   As far as I know there is no color morph. It is very closely related and most similar to C. lanceolatus that is endemic to southern Japan, and they can be differentiated by their pelvic-fin color pattern. C. roseafascia has a bluish dark area posterobasally on the fins, while in C. lanceolatus it is restricted to anterior part of the fins. Also C. lanceolatus has a bluish dorsal fin in the male stage.

Status:
   These fish are not listed in the IUNC Red List.

Description:

Juvenile Photo Courtesy: Hiroyuki Tanaka

  Males are overall pink with a broader reddish band on the back beginning at upper lip, continuing through eye onto the upper side of the caudal peduncle. They have a narrow yellow stripe on the head and at the base of the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is mostly pinkish and yellowish on the anterior part and the margin is bright yellow. Pelvic fins are yellowish with a prominent dark spot posterobasally. Other fins are yellowish; anal and pelvic fins with a blue edge.
   Females are similar with pinkish band on the back, fins yellowish, and pelvic fins with a similar dark spot.
   Juveniles are also similar with a small black spot on the upper side of the caudal peduncle. There are often with many white spots on the side and a broader white vertical band behind the eye.
   All the members of the genus Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus have an ability to change colors of body and fins partially or entirely, and then they look like different species, even in the aquarium. They show such color changing especially while they are excited or in courtship behavior to threaten other males of the same or different species, or to attract females of their own kind. This behavior can be seen especially from dusk till early night and early morning.

Length/Diameter of fish:
   Rose-band Fairy Wrasse or Red-striped Fairy Wrasse adults can grow to over 20 cm (7.9+ inches). It is the largest member in the genus.

Maintenance difficulty and compatibility:
   This wrasse is easily kept in the aquarium without special care.
   The Rose-band Fairy Wrasse or Red-striped Fairy Wrasse is a reef safe fish. it will do well in a coral-rich tank with sessile inverts and/ or in a fish community tank, but select tank mates that are not so aggressive. Larger and rather territorial angelfishes like Pomacanthus and Holacanthus are not recommended even when they are juveniles, but smaller Centropyge, Apolemichthys, Genicanthus, Chaetodontoplus and Pygoplites can be good mates.
   Remember that the tank should be well decorated with rocks/ corals with many hiding places for the Cirrhilabrus. Smaller and non-aggressive cardinalfishes, gobies, tilefishes, damselfishes, butterflyfishes, fairy basslets, etc. are good candidates for tank mates. Also wrasses of other genera can be kept if these are not so active or larger. Small but very aggressive fishes like dottybacks are not recommended for candidates.

Foods:
   No special food is needed. This wrasse accepts a wide variety of foods, including dried flakes, meaty foods, shrimps, and sometimes feeds on tablets. It does not harm any live corals or small inverts.

Maintenance:
   Like all wrasses, the Rose-band Fairy Wrasse or Red-striped Fairy Wrasse is very energetic so needs frequent feedings. Feed at least twice a day. It does not harm any live corals or small inverts. Make sure there is open space for free swimming and many crevices to hide in. It does not need a sand bed as it does not burrow, but rather it will produce a cocoon while it is sleeping among or under rocks or corals.   Frequent water changes are not needed. When doing water changes, a small water change can be acceptable but a big one may frighten it, causing it to dash into crevices or even jump out of the tank. I will exchange some, about 1/5 of the water per month.

Aquarium Parameters:
Minimum Tank Length/Size:
   The tank size of at least 90x40x40 cm should be provided.
Light: Recommended light levels
   Can be kept in a bright tank even under the sun, but prefers to be kept in a dim-lit tank.
Temperature:
   Keep the water temperature at around 75 - 79° F (24 - 26° C). This species lives in tropical to subtropical areas, but higher than 84° F (29° C) or below 68° F (20° C) would not be good.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
   Water movement is not a significant condition and it can be kept in a stronger flow or still water, but it needs a slow flow in a tank to feed on.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
   It usually is actively swimming near the bottom and it will venture to the surface for foods when it is well acclimated.

Social Behaviors:
   The species of Cirrhilabrus live in their natural habitat by forming a harem of one dominant male, several females and juveniles but C. roseafascia is a deepwater dweller. According to a few reports by divers it forms a small aggregation of several individuals (in Cebu). Also in Fiji it was videotaped from a submersible at a depth of more than 100 meters where one or two large males (estimated some 20 cm long) were among the rocks. This species can adapt to the deepwater environment and would be better kept in a calm and darker captive circumstance with a few tank mates.

Dr. Jungle says, "Here's Hiroyuki's experiences with keeping this pretty wrasse!...thanks for sharing!"
"I once kept two young males of 9 and 11 cm long together with great success without any problem. I got an extra large male, 16 cm that did well along with other members of Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus and it always was slowly and gracefully patrolling the tank all day long. It accepted any food offered and sometimes it went up to the surface to receive foods directly from my hand. A juvenile I kept was active and when disturbed it darted into a small crevice but soon came out of it for swimming with curiosity. This species like other members can be maintained in a tank alone or in a small group of the same species or other spp.    "I have been keeping seven individuals in total, measuring 4cm juvenile to 16 cm adult male specimens, that are doing very well in a fish community tanks of 90x45x45cm and 120x40x40cm sizes.  They were kept with other Cirrhilabrus members (lunatus, punctatus, katherinae, temminckii, rubripinnis, etc.) and several flasher wrasses (Paracheilinus spp.) and also with Blue Damsels (5 cm, Chrysiptera cyanea), Black-back Butterflyfish (8cm, Chaetodon melannotus), Flame Angelfish (6cm, Centropyge loriculus), Blue-lined Angelfish (17cm, Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis), an anthiid fish (5cm, Pseudanthias sp.), etc.  The fins turned vivid yellow while it was being cleaned by a Cleaner Wrasse (5cm, Labroides dimidiatus)." ...Hiroyuki Tanaka

Sex: Sexual differences:
   Females are similar to the males but with a pinkish rather than a reddish band on the back and the pelvic fins have a similar dark spot. The females fins are yellowish.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   No report for reproductive behavior or for aquatic cultivation is known. Perhaps it is the same as other members of the genus, where a male will move rapidly with more gorgeous coloration to attract and invite its mate to spawn and push out sperm in the water column.

Availability:
   This species rarely appears at retailers. Young males are sold on occasion but larger ones or juveniles are seldom available. All the aquarium specimens will be collected and shipped from Cebu, the Philippines as far as I know. It commands a fairly high price for Cirrhilabrus but some can be obtained at a cheaper price of around US $50.00.