Care
The Sunset Wrasse is known from clear outer lagoons and seaward reefs, over open sand, rubble, and dense coral growth, to depths of 30m (98ft). Here they occur in groups, feeding mainly on small benthic invertebrates, polychaete worms, and fish eggs. These beautiful, multicoloured fish are easy to keep, but a spacious aquarium is a necessity, as they are active, grow large, and are powerful swimmers. Ideally, there will also be plenty of rockwork and a sand substrate that is 3-4" deep, to provide resting places for your wrasse. Provide clean, well oxygenated water with areas of fast current. This is a fairly boisterous species that should only be kept alongside fish of similar size and temperament. Sunset Wrasses are protogynous sequential hermaphrodites and there are three primary phases, their colour and size depending on whether they are terminal phase (TP) males, initial phase (IP) males, or females. TP males are also known as "supermales" and have pink and green heads with blue/blue-green bodies that are overlaid with thin red vertical lines, and the pectoral fins are yellow on the basal half, blue-black distally. IP males and females are much smaller, and have bright yellow bodies with light red vertical lines. IP males and females have the ability to change into TP males and this switch includes a dramatic change of size and coloration. Once transformed from IP male or female to TP male, the change is permanent. It should be noted that in the aquarium, TP males are particularly territorial. Well-fed specimens should not harm corals, but they will prey on bivalves, brittle stars, crabs, gastropods, sea urchins, shrimps, and small fish. It is best to make this species the last addition to the tank, so that it is less likely to harass any newcomers. Will jump from an open-topped aquarium. May also be seen on sale as Banana Wrasse (although these specimens are usually females or IP males).
Feeding
Carnivorous. Will readily accept most meaty frozen foods such as Mysis shrimp, krill, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, cockle & mussel meat, whitebait etc.
Breeding
This species has not been bred in captivity, most probably because large groups of this species are seldom kept together.
