Wrasse ID

hqn77 · May 11, 2021

Picked this up at LFS a few weeks ago. Went through quarantine and now happy in DT. LFS had no idea what type of wrasse since it came in a a "multi-colored" wrasse, which I know it's definitely not. Unique appearance, brown to black body depending on lighting, with yellow band between body and tail. Most striking feature, which was the reason I bought it, is a beak. It's mouth is like a beak, white in color. Love this little guy, very active and sleeps in the sand. Sorry for the blurry pics, it's a really fast and skittish fish.

Would love to ID this wrasse, and see how big it could get and/or reef safe?? So far a model citizen, happy in my IM SR-120, actively grazing the rockwork for food. Thank you!

Thank you!

ChiCity · May 11, 2021

anampses lineatus or melanurus,,,, i think

hqn77 · May 11, 2021

ChiCity said:
anampses lineatus or melanurus,,,, i think

Thank you! I've looked up the anampses lineatus or lined wrasse because of the band on its tail, but couldn't find any pictures of a juvenile one. My wrasse doesn't have the spots, not sure if a lined wrasse has spots when it's a juvenile.

SaltyT · May 11, 2021

It's a chiseltooth wrasse, Pseudodax moluccanus. They're being collected right now and showing up in LFS under various names. They get pretty big and are reef safe. They eat algae and copepods. Cool wrasse!

hqn77 · May 11, 2021

SaltyT said:
It's a chiseltooth wrasse, Pseudodax moluccanus. They're being collected right now and showing up in LFS under various names. They get pretty big and are reef safe. They eat algae and copepods. Cool wrasse!

Eureka! Thanks, you nailed it. Looks like I don't have a juvenile after all according to the Googled pictures. It's not very big now, about 3.5 inches, but yeah will need to rehome if it gets anywhere close to full size.

SaltyT · May 11, 2021

hqn77 said:
Eureka! Thanks, you nailed it. Looks like I don't have a juvenile after all according to the Googled pictures. It's not very big now, about 3.5 inches, but yeah will need to rehome if it gets anywhere close to full size.

You definitely have an adult. I'm not sure of their growth rate but I think you have some time before he gets too big... or you can use him as an excuse to get a bigger tank!