Dragon Wrasse

• ExerciseVery high

  A powerful swimmer that needs a long tank and real swimming space.

• GroomingAttentive tank care

  Sensitive to water quality — stay on top of testing and maintenance.

• Living spaceMid-size tank

  Needs a mid-size aquarium with room to swim.

• Owner experienceFor experienced owners

  Rewards owners who know the ropes.

• Commitment8–12 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Ich (white spot) · Fin rot · Parasites

The Dragon or Rockmover Wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus) is found across the Indo-Pacific and reaches about 25 to 30 cm. The juvenile and adult look like completely different animals: the young fish is a shaggy red-brown with elongated fin filaments and mimics drifting algae, swaying with the surge, while the adult is a stocky grey fish with a pale-marked head. Its common name describes its behaviour precisely, since it feeds by lifting and flipping rocks and rubble to find invertebrates underneath. An adult needs 700 litres or more at 24-27C, salinity 1.024 to 1.026, pH 8.1 to 8.4, with a deep sand bed to sleep in and stable, securely built rockwork. Feed mysis, chopped prawn, clam, krill and marine pellets. It is emphatically not reef safe: it eats shrimp, crabs, snails and urchins, and it will physically rearrange an aquascape, toppling anything not glued down. It is a superb fish for a large fish-only system with robust tankmates, and a poor idea in a coral display.

• How active is a Dragon Wrasse?

  Very high. A powerful swimmer that needs a long tank and real swimming space.

• How much maintenance does a Dragon Wrasse need?

  Attentive tank care. Sensitive to water quality — stay on top of testing and maintenance.

• What tank size does a Dragon Wrasse need?

  Mid-size tank. Needs a mid-size aquarium with room to swim.

• Is a Dragon Wrasse a good fit for first-time owners?

  For experienced owners. Rewards owners who know the ropes.

• How long do Dragon Wrasse live?

  8–12 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the Dragon Wrasse?

  Keep an eye out for Ich (white spot), Fin rot, Parasites. These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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