Description

• Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura
• Common Names: Blueside Fairy Wrasse, Bluehead Fairy Wrasse, Yellow Flank Fairy Wrasse
• Maximum Length: 5.9 inches (15 cm)
• Minimum Aquarium Size: 75 gallons (284 liters) for a single fish; 90 gallons (341 liters) or larger for a harem to support their active swimming and social dynamics.
• Foods and Feeding Habits: Carnivorous, feeding on zooplankton and small invertebrates in the wild. In aquariums, offer frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, copepods, and high-quality marine pellets. Feed small amounts 2-3 times daily to mimic their natural foraging behavior.
• Reef Safety: Reef-safe; they do not harm corals or invertebrates, making them an excellent choice for reef tanks.
• Temperament: Peaceful, though males may display aggression toward other male fairy wrasses. Best kept as a single male with multiple females in a harem setup or with non-aggressive tankmates like gobies or cardinalfish.

• Description: The Blueside Fairy Wrasse is a dazzling addition to marine tanks, prized for its vibrant colors. Males boast a bluish-grey upper head and anterior body, transitioning to orange-brown or pinkish-red toward the rear, with a striking blue side. Females are paler with a pinkish hue. Native to the Western Pacific, from the Ryukyu Islands to Indonesia and Sri Lanka, they inhabit reef slopes at depths of 1-40 meters. Their active, darting movements and need for hiding spots make them ideal for mature reef tanks with live rock and open swimming space.

Fun Facts:

• Males perform a mesmerizing “flashing” dance, rapidly intensifying their blue side color to attract females during twilight spawning sessions.
• They form aggregations 1 to 2 m above coral or rocky bottoms along edges of lagoon, channel, and outer reef slopes, feeding on zooplankton in the water column.
• The name ‘cyanopleura’ means ‘blue-sided’ in Greek, referring to the distinctive bluish-grey coloration on the upper body of males.