Wrasse ID help

[bryanr]

I recently purchased a couple wrasses from a tank breakdown. They are in a 90 gallon right now before moving to my 560. This wrasse was said to be a formosa wrasse, but looks nothing like any i've ever seen. The guy I got it from said it was black with white marks and now is mostly black. Sorry for the poor pictures. The tank was holding live rock so i didn't clean all the Coraline algae off.

 

[nereefpat]

It does look like Coris genus, but I wouldn't say C. formosa. Maybe C. bulbifrons?

You might send an email here: [email protected]

 

[bryanr]

Thank you will try emailing him.

 

[nereefpat]

Thank you will try emailing him.

Let us know if you hear back

 

[bryanr]

I've been searching and found a black coris wrasse (coris gaimard). It looks awfully close.

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[nereefpat]

Did you hear back from Hunter?

Coris gaimard is orange as a juvie and doesn't ever have a black phase.

 

[bryanr]

he wants more photos

This is what it is (I think)

 

[nereefpat]

Link is broken for me.

 

[bryanr]

 

[bryanr]

Different page same both say it's a black coris wrasse, which I had never heard of so wonder if it is a misidentification. Looks like mine with just a tad less white.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Different page same both say it's a black coris wrasse, which I had never heard of so wonder if it is a misidentification. Looks like mine with just a tad less white.

I’ve never seen a coris go through a solid black color phase.
I think your wrasse looks more like a Halichoeres, possibly H. melanochir.
Very interested to see what Hunter says.

 

[bryanr]

Today's pics. One thing to note, his fins are a little torn up. Guy had a hard time catching him. He is about 6-7" long and burrows in the sand

 

[bryanr]

few more pics

 

[nereefpat]

It sure could be a Halichoeres sp instead of Coris. Really similar, and both are catch-all genera.

I bet Hunter will know with those pics.

 

[bryanr]

Reply from Hunter...."I can say with certainty that this is Coris gaimard"

 

[nereefpat]

I don't see how that's a red coris, but I trust him. Here is the fishbase page with various pictures of juvenile, sub adult, and mature C. gaimard: https://www.fishbase.se/photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php?Genus=Coris&Species=gaimard

 

[bryanr]

Yeah, I don't see it either....but he said it is in a transition phase. Thing that confuses me the most is the white tail. Once it moves to the 560 it should grow. Funny thing is it has been living with another Red Coris for years.

 

[nereefpat]

Interesting. I'll be curious to see what it looks like down rhe road.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Yeah, I don't see it either....but he said it is in a transition phase. Thing that confuses me the most is the white tail. Once it moves to the 560 it should grow. Funny thing is it has been living with another Red Coris for years.

Really cool to see a black one! I didn’t know they existed! Did you get both coris? Does the other one look like a typical coris?

 

[Sarcazian]

Pretty wrasse! When I first saw it my first thought was a fresh water Black Ghost Knifefish - one of my favorites!