Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse – Sri Lanka

Cirrhilabrus rubeus

The Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse is a dazzling mix of red and magenta tones and brings both color and activity to peaceful reef aquariums. Male Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse display vibrant ruby red heads with vivid magenta to violet bodies, often accented by electric blue or purple flashes on their fins, while females exhibit more subdued tones with softer red or pink hues and less contrast, along with shorter, rounded fins. These wrasses thrive in aquariums with ample rockwork that offers hiding spots such as caves and crevices. Unlike many wrasses, they do not bury themselves in the sand at night. Instead, they either wedge into rock crevices or form a mucus cocoon—similar to parrotfish—for protection while sleeping. The cocoon remnants do not affect water quality or aquarium inhabitants. A tight-fitting lid is recommended, as they may jump. Peaceful and reef-safe, Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse are excellent additions to community aquariums. As carnivores, they require a varied diet of enriched meaty foods—like mysis shrimp, squid, clams, fish, or specialized carnivore preparations—fed at least twice daily. They can grow up to 3 inches and need a minimum aquarium size of 50 gallons. Native to the Western Pacific, they are found from the Philippines to Indonesia and parts of northern Papua New Guinea typically near coral rich reef slopes and outer reef areas at depths of up to 130 feet.