Bluespotted Wrasse (Anampses caeruleopunctatus)

Bluespotted Wrasse Anampses caeruleopunctatus
Name	Bluespotted Wrasse
Name Lat.	Anampses caeruleopunctatus
Family	Wrasses
Family lat.	Labridae
Order	Wrasses & Relatives
Order lat.	Labriformes
Origin	Indo-Pacific, Red Sea
Habitat	Coral reefs
Diet	Carnivore
pH	8,1-8,4
Hardness	8-10 °KH
Behavior	Semi-aggressive
Keeping	Pair
Reef Compatible	With caution
Care Level	Difficult
Life Span	N/A
Protection	No
Metric Units
Size	35 cm
Temperature	22-28 °C
Salinity	33-36 ‰
Aquarium	~ 800 l
US Units
Size	14"
Temperature	72-82 °F
Salinity	1.020-1.025 sg
Aquarium	~ 200 gal

Distribution and habitat

The Anampses caeruleopunctatus has the largest range of its genus. It ranges from the Red Sea to the Easter Islands, excluding Hawaii. They live on shallow coral reefs in shallow coastal waters.

Maintenance

They need a well structured aquarium with plenty of swimming space and a reef structure (hiding and covering possibilities) with living stones, which act like a biological filter and whose growth they can graze on, as well as sand areas, from fine, at least 20 cm deep sand (no coral rubble!)

Only calcareous, heavy metal-free sands, gravels, stones or sea sand may be used. Filters, skimmers and heaters are necessary to ensure water quality, as well as pumps to simulate tides, swells and bottom currents. Lighting must be appropriate for the species' day-night rhythm

Salinity: 33-36 ‰	pH value: 8.1-8.4
Carbonate hardness: 8-10 °KH	Nitrate content: 2-8 mg/l
phosphate content: 0.01-0.1 mg/l	nitrite content: 0.0-0.05 mg/l

For salinity, an average value should be aimed for, which may only vary slightly by +/- 0.5 ‰. Ammonia and ammonium must not be measurable. Special attention must be paid to constantly good water quality.

Diet

They eat crustaceans and mollusks, as well as polychaeta (Vielborster). The change of feed is not problematic. The food supply should consist of a combination of mysis, krill, shrimp, artemia, and clam and crab meat, as well as a frozen food mix enriched with vitamins. High-quality flake and granulated food is also well accepted

It is recommended to feed small portions several times a day. This reduces intra-species aggression and protects lower animals in the aquarium

Regular and varied feeding promotes health and increases resistance.

Behaviour and compatibility

The young fish, mostly females, are peaceful among themselves and can be kept without problems. With the sex change to male the aggression increases. Only one male should be kept with one female. Towards other not too small fish they behave peacefully.

Sex dimorphism

They are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning males develop from functional females when needed. Females have a brown to reddish-brown base coloration, males are more olive and usually have a blue band between the eyes.

Reproduction and breeding

There are no known reports of successful breeding in the aquarium.

Important

Overnight and when threatened they bury themselves in the sandy substrate. Their coloration is very variable depending on the origin

Swimming head down, they mimic algae floating in the current. Care should be taken when keeping them together with tubeworms, snails and crayfish, as these may be considered food

As reef dwellers, they should be kept together with corals and not in a fish-only aquarium

If different species are kept together, care should be taken to ensure that the fish match each other in terms of water quality and temperature requirements and social behavior, and that the setup meets the needs of all species kept together. New fish to be introduced must be acclimated slowly to the water in the aquarium

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: Werner Winter; Image: Franz Lowak

Source: KUITER, DEBELIUS (2007): Atlas der Meeresfische: Die Fische an den Küsten der Weltmeere, Kosmos Verlag; ENGELMANN (2005): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Fische, Verlag Harri Deutsch

• Gemäß § 21 Abs. 5 Tierschutzgesetz idgF