Tanaka’s Pygmy Wrasse (Wetmorella tanakai)

Quick Stats
Care Level: Easy | Temperament: Peaceful | Color Form: Black, Red, White | Diet: Carnivore | Reef Compatible: Yes | Water Conditions: sg 1.020-1.025, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 | Max. Size: 2½” | Family: Labridae | Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons | Compatibility: View Chart

Overview
Available for the first time outside Diver’s Affordabalequaria?, Tanaka’s Pygmy Wrasse, or the Tanaka Possum Wrasse, delivers entrancing coloration made even more mystifying by its secretive nature. This cautious rock dweller boasts a stunning sunset reddish-orange body accented with four thin white bands, plus two false eyespots above and below the tail. Identified in 2007, the Tanaka’s Pygmy Wrasse is the namesake of acclaimed researcher Hiroyuki Tanaka, MD.
In the wild, Tanaka’s Pygmy Wrasse’ diet is small benthic invertebrates. In the home aquarium, their diet should include vitamin enriched frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin enriched frozen brine shrimp, and other meaty foods along with a high quality marine flake and marine pellet food.

Provide plenty of caves and hiding spots as Tanaka’s Pygmy Wrasse is a very secretive species. House with other peaceful fish to help encourage this shy beauty out of the rockwork. They will not bother any corals or invertebrates making them a perfect fish for the reef aquarium. A single male can be kept with a group of females that is introduced prior to or at the same time as the male. These wrasses like to jump, so a tight-fitting canopy is recommended.

Approximate Purchase Size: Small: 1/2″ to 1-1/4″; Medium: 1-1/4″ to 2″; Large: 2″ or larger.